Are you ready to enter a winter wonderland? I’ve visited over 20 national parks in the winter and there may be no park as majestic in the winter as Kings Canyon & Sequoia. Soft snow covers the ground, while large sequoias tower above.
Journey to these parks and feel small amongst the giant trees that surround you. Pack your microspikes and your snow pants and get ready to explore these beautiful parks. Despite some parts of the park being inaccessible, there’s still plenty to do!
Learn why you must visit Kings Canyon & Sequoia National Park in winter and everything you need to know to plan the ultimate winter trip!
Things to Know About Kings Canyon & Sequoia
What are Kings Canyon & Sequoia National Parks?
Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks are both located in the Sierra Nevadas and feature towering Sequoia trees. Sequoia was the first park that was founded to protect a living organism, the Sequoia Tree.
Despite being known for their trees, Kings Canyon and Sequoia also have grand mountainscapes, alpine lakes, and deep caves within their bounds. There is so much to see at all times of year! These two parks were founded separately, but are now run as one park.
Where to Stay Near Kings Canyon & Sequoia
Currently, the lodges in both parks are closed because of the KNP Complex Fire impacts. You Can stay at Wuksachi Lodge in Sequoia and John Muir Lodge in King’s Canyon in the parks. You’ll need to stay at two different places to visit Kings Canyon & Sequoia National Park in winter, because part of the General’s Highway is blocked off.
If you want to visit Kings Canyon, you can stay at Azalea Campground year round or right outside the park at Hume Lake. In order to visit Sequoia, you can stay at a hotel in the neighboring town of Three Rivers or stay in the park at the Potishwa Campground or South Fork Campground. This campground is first-come first-served so you’ll want to get there early to secure a spot!
Things to Know Before You Go
🎟️ Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park are run together. So, the fee to visit them is $35 or you can get the America the Beautiful Pass. Non-US residents will need to pay the standard fee plus $100 per person over 16 or $250 for an annual pass.
ℹ️ They have visitor centers where you can get information on both parks. Also, they are connected by the Generals Highway, but that part of the road is closed in winter.
❄️ During the winter, many of the roads are closed and you will need to check the NPS websites for updates on closures. Generals Highway is often closed at certain points, so you will want to know what you can access on your trip.
🛞 You may need to have chains for your tires if you plan to visit in the winter. You can check the NPS website to see their current chain requirements.
🚫 In 2021, the KNP Complex Fire burned down many of the sequoias in the groves throughout both parks. It was a devastating fire and the park is still trying to rebuild. The park is still closed in areas, due to the fires effects. You will most likely see many of the burned down trees on your trip.
⚠️ The Generals Highway is only open to General Sherman from Thursday-Monday during the winter. Otherwise, you will not be able to visit the tree.
Roads can close at anytime based on weather or storms. Make sure to stay updated before you go to the park.
🔥 The park often has prescribed burns during the winter. You will see fires along the road and it may affect the air quality of the park. You may not be able to complete some hikes based on the air quality.
🅿️ Many of the parking lots in the park fill up early in the day. Get there early to secure a parking spot and gain easy access to the things you want to see.
⛽️ There is no gas in either park. Make sure to fill up before you make your way into the parks. The road climbs up to elevation and it will take a lot of your gas. The Giant Forest is an hour from the visitors center in Sequoia National Park.
🛷 Sleds are only allowed in certain areas of the park
Things to Do in Kings Canyon in Winter
General Grant Tree
Walk .5 miles on a paved pathway to see the second largest tree in the entire world! You can’t stand get right up to the tree, because it is fenced off but you can get very close.
When you look up you’ll be amazed at the height of this magnificent tree. Make sure to pack a wide angle lens or prepare to take a panorama to fit the tree in the frame!
Redwood Mountain Overlook
Turn off the main highway to get to Redwood Mountain Overlook. From here you can see hundreds of redwoods and the mountains beyond. Unfortunately, it was very hazy when we went from the prescribed burns, but we still thought it was worth it to see.
Big Stump Snowplay Area
Bring your kids, snow pants, and a sled and get ready to have fun in the snow! This area features many large stumps of sequoias and is now an area for snow play.
Many families drive up from the cities to come to this spot for the weekend. It’s so much fun to see people building snowmen, having snowball fights, and sledding down the hills in this snowy spot. Even if you don’t want to play in the snow, seeing the stumps is a pretty cool sight.
Hume Lake
Technically this spot is not in the park, but you should add it to your weekend. This alpine lake is 6 miles outside of the park and it is picturesque.
Take time to hike around the lake’s edge or have a picnic while staring out on the waters that surround it. We even flew our drone here, because it is not allowed in the national parks but it was permitted there.
Things to Do in Sequoia National Park in Winter
Despite a lot of the roads being closed, there is plenty to see in Sequoia National Park in winter. Pack layers, snow clothes, and microspikes and you’ll be ready to explore the serene beauty of this park!
General Sherman Tree
Visit the largest tree in the world when you visit General Sherman Tree. This tree has the largest amount of wood, because it is so tall but also so wide in girth. When you stand under the tree, you will feel tiny and insignificant. Head to this spot early in the morning, because the winter parking lot holds very few cars and it fills up right away.
Congress Trail (2.5 miles)
Continue your journey amongst the large trees by taking the Congress Trail from General Sherman. This path winds its way through the woods and along the way you’ll get to see various members of “Congress.”
There’s a tree named “The President,” a patch of trees known as “The Senate,” and another patch called “The House.” It was fun to compare these large trees to the US government and it was a beautiful trail.
Dylan and I loved walking through the trees and even climbing into some hollow trees along the way. Pack microspikes so that you can take this trail in the winter without fear of slipping and sliding on the ice and snow.
Big Trees Trail
Big Trees Trail is a gorgeous family friendly hike that takes you through some of the biggest trees in the park! In the summer, there’s a huge patch of snow in the middle.
This trail is under a mile, so it’s the perfect activity to add to any winter itinerary in Sequoia!
Wolverton Snow Play Area
Similar to King’s Canyon, there is another spot to have fun in the snow. This area is on the end of Wolverton Road and it is made for people to play. Unfortunately, it was closed during our visit due to the effect from the wildfires, but it’s open now and it’s a great place to have a fun time!
Hike to Tunnel Log & Moro Rock
In the winter, the roads to Tunnel Log & Moro Rock are closed. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t access them, you’ll just need to put in more work!
We chose to walk to tunnel log, which is 1.6 miles down the road (3.2 miles round trip). We had the log completely to ourselves, which was magical. This Sequoia fell down many years ago and instead of clearing it from the road, the park decided to hollow it out.
It now sits above the road and you can walk or drive (in the warmer months) under it. You can continue on the road to Moro Rock and we saw many people walking there. This large rock sits above the mountains and provides a beautiful panoramic view. We chose to skip it, but we are definitely adding it to the list for our next visit!
Final Tips for Visiting Kings Canyon & Sequoia National Park in Winter!
I honestly think that visiting these two parks in the winter may be the very best time to visit. But, that being said, you’re going to want to plan in advance. Always check the park entrance or go to the park website to check on closures.
I hope that you add these incredible parks to your winter bucket list.
Let me know if you enjoyed this guide in the comments and pin it to save for later!
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So cool! This post has convinced me to add Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks to my list! The trees are so impressive, and they both look like great places to walk around and explore.
It’s pretty cool to think you’ve seen the largest tree in the world! I’ve seen some pretty impressive trees in my time, so I can only imagine how big the Big Sherman is!! I love that you were able to hike to the Tunnel Log – how cool that they did that rather than clearing it.
I know, it honestly makes it better because less people are there! Also, more people were going to Moro Rock but we wanted the time alone.
So much to see and do! I love that there are snow play areas and hope they’re not just for kids.
This looks like a magical destination to visit in the winter! I’m sure it’s so much less busy in the winter, too. Your photos are beautiful, too. Thank you for sharing!
It was definitely less busy, but parking lots were getting full because there were less spots than usual!
I must admit we usually don’t head to national parks in the winter. But I love the idea of visiting Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks when it is less busy. We did more hiking this year in the snow and that would not put me off. Especially if there are spots to play in the snow!
We loved hiking in the snow, especially with our microspikes! I’m so excited to use them more.