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Sequoia National Park

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Overview

Sequoia National Park offers a glimpse into life on an inhuman scale. This awe-inspiring landscape testifies to nature's incredible diversity, beauty and size. Permanent fixtures of the park include soaring granite peaks, regal sequoia trees, and some of the most dramatic canyons and caverns that the region has to offer. Even the ferns in Sequoia are larger than life. Visitors will not be disappointed by the variety of vistas and activities that the park has to offer.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks lie side by side in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of the San Joaquin Valley. Visitor activities vary by season and elevation, which ranges from 1,370 to 14,494 feet.

Visiting Tips

Sequoia, like many National Parks, is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, weather permitting. The months with highest visitation numbers occur in July and August. As a note to visitors, campsites may be difficult to find on summer weekends and holidays, as well as off-season holidays.

Because of the extreme elevation range in the parks, weather conditions vary greatly from area to area and day to day. Head to the Sequoia National Park page to double check weather conditions before heading out. Opening and closing dates for facilities and services may change due to weather or other circumstances.

Camping & Lodging

Lodging
  • A variety of lodging choices operate with the park, two of which operate year-round. Choices include modern lodge style rooms and cabin style accommodations that make exploring the park easy and relaxing. Whether you choose to stay in one of four lodges, or venture into backcountry accommodations such as Bearpaw Meadow High Sierra Camp or Pear Lake Ski Hut, Sequoia National Park is sure to provide a comfortable stay for any type of visit. More information can be found here.
Camping
  • For those seeking to pitch a tent, the park offers a variety of campgrounds throughout the park, and locations range from the foothills, to Kings Canyon, to peaceful sequoia groves. There is a total of 14 campgrounds within the park, 3 of which are open year-round. Most are first-come, first served, with the exception of Potwisha, Buckeye Flats, Lodgepole and Dorst campgrounds, all of which accept reservations. A maximum of 6 people are allowed in standard sites, but group campsites are also available with a reservation. Be aware, most campgrounds fill up on Saturday nights from July through August. More information can be found here.

Food & Drink

Visitors need not go hungry when visiting the park, as there are both seasonal and year-round restaurants located inside and outside of the park.

Restaurants
    Year-Round Options
  • Grant Grove Village: Restaurant, market (limited selection in winter months), post office*
  • Montecito-Sequoia Lodge: Restaurant
  • Late Spring into Fall Options:
  • Lodgepole Village: Snack bar, deli and market
  • Wolverton Meadows: All you can eat barbecue (Summer-only, Friday - Sunday, dinner only)
  • Cedar Grove Vilage: Restaurant and market
  • Mineral King: Silver City Resort- a small restaurant on private land


*Closed until 2017, being reconstructed.

Other Activities

Sequoia is a perfect place to stretch your legs in some of California's most dramatic landscapes.

There are hundreds of miles of trails that are suitable for day-hiking, and provide visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves deep in the wilderness, experience wildlife, and wander through sequoia groves. Trails exist for every experience level, from beginners to experienced hikers, and paved paths make excursions in wheelchairs or strollers easily accessible.

With so many great trails, you may decide to extend your stay overnight. The designated wilderness within the park provides the perfect place for overnight backpacking trips for those wishing to engage more closely with the natural landscape. Please see the recommended list of activities from the NPS here.

Gems in Sequoia National Park - 12

Trail Run Project is built by runners like you. Add Your Gems

gem Favorite General Sherman Tree

General Sherman

(39) Three R…, CA
gem Favorite Views of the Sierra Nevada Range abound from the top of Moro Rock.

Moro Rock

(32) Three R…, CA
gem Favorite Crystal Cave - stalactites

Crystal Cave

(3) Three R…, CA
gem Favorite The Trees!

The Congress Group

(11) Three R…, CA
gem Favorite Western bank cliffs of the Kern Canyon are over 1,000 feet high here, near the Kern Hot Springs. Seen looking south at the canyon bottom on a beautiful early May morning.  The Kern River is to the right at the bottom of the cliffs but not visible here.

Kern Hot Spring

(1) Lone Pine, CA
gem Favorite The pretty Kern River seen from the east end of the Lower Kern Bridge.

Kern Canyon

(1) Three R…, CA
gem Favorite A couple of bears feeding in the meadow on the way to Tharp's Log. A short and family friendly hike in SNP

Tharp's Log Cabin

(8) Three R…, CA
gem Favorite Crescent Meadow, Sequoia National Park

Crescent Meadow

(12) Three R…, CA
gem Favorite Gigant Forest Museum

Giant Forest Museum

(11) Three R…, CA
gem Favorite Tunnel Log, Sequoia National Park.

Tunnel Log

(13) Three R…, CA
gem Favorite Sunset Rock at sunset.

Sunset Rock

(5) Three R…, CA
gem Favorite Chagoopa Falls plunges off 1,200 foot cliffs to land in the Kern River below on the Kern Canyon floor.

Chagoopa Falls

(1) Lone Pine, CA

Recommended Routes in Sequoia National Park - 6

Trail Run Project is built by runners like you. Add Your Recommended Routes

Favorite Pear Lake - Sequoia National Park.
Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult

Lakes Trail

12.2 mi 19.7 km • 2,792' Up 851.1 m Up • 2,792' Down 850.85 m Down

Three R…, CA
Explore in 3D
Favorite The Trees!
Easy/Intermediate Easy/Intermediate

Congress Trail

1.9 mi 3.0 km • 350' Up 106.6 m Up • 314' Down 95.62 m Down

Three R…, CA
Explore in 3D
Favorite View of mountain lakes from the summit.
Difficult Difficult

Alta Peak

13.4 mi 21.6 km • 3,898' Up 1188.01 m Up • 3,897' Down 1187.87 m Down

Three R…, CA
Explore in 3D
Favorite From the mid-point in Lost Canyon, looking towards Sawtooth Pk. with Sawtooth Pass a little to the right of it.
Difficult Difficult

Mineral King Loop

25.6 mi 41.3 km • 9,101' Up 2773.89 m Up • 9,091' Down 2771.03 m Down

Three R…, CA
Explore in 3D
Favorite The Trees!
Intermediate Intermediate

Giant Forest Loop Trail

7.5 mi 12.0 km • 972' Up 296.24 m Up • 952' Down 290.23 m Down

Three R…, CA
Explore in 3D
Favorite Another view...
Intermediate Intermediate

Marble Falls

6.9 mi 11.0 km • 1,549' Up 472.21 m Up • 1,549' Down 472.23 m Down

Three R…, CA
Explore in 3D

Sequoia National Park Running

  • 664 Miles 1,068 Kilometers of Trail
  • 6 Recommended Routes
  • 12 Gems Gems
  • 17 Easy Trails Easy Trails
  • 75 Intermediate Trails Intermediate Trails
  • 49 Difficult Trails Difficult Trails
Trail Run Project is built by runners like you. Share what you know about this area!

Areas Within Sequoia National Park

Weather Averages


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Trails in Sequoia National Park - 135

Trail Run Project is built by runners like you. Add Your Trails

2.0 mi 3.2 km #1Moro Rock Trail
Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
Three Rivers, CA
Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
Three Rivers, CA 45 
1.9 mi 3.1 km #2Tokopah Falls Trail
Intermediate Intermediate
Three Rivers, CA
Intermediate Intermediate
Three Rivers, CA 47 
66.5 mi 107.0 km #3High Sierra Trail
Difficult Difficult
Three Rivers, CA
Difficult Difficult
Three Rivers, CA 22 
0.6 mi 1.0 km #4Mt Whitney - The Chute
Difficult Difficult
Lone Pine, CA
Difficult Difficult
Lone Pine, CA
3.1 mi 5.0 km #5Little Baldy/Dorst
Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
Three Rivers, CA
Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
Three Rivers, CA
2.6 mi 4.2 km #6Mount Langley Army Pass Route
Difficult Difficult
Lone Pine, CA
Difficult Difficult
Lone Pine, CA
0.7 mi 1.1 km #7Big Trees Trail
Easy Easy
Three Rivers, CA
Easy Easy
Three Rivers, CA 16 
1.5 mi 2.3 km #8Crystal Lakes
Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
Three Rivers, CA
Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
Three Rivers, CA
182.8 mi 294.3 km #9PCT: Crabtree Meadow to Tuolumne Meadow (Yosemite)
Very Difficult Very Difficult
Lone Pine, CA
Very Difficult Very Difficult
Lone Pine, CA
1.4 mi 2.2 km #10Eagle Lake Trail
Difficult Difficult
Three Rivers, CA
Difficult Difficult
Three Rivers, CA

Photos of Sequoia National Park - 398

Trail Run Project is built by runners like you. Add Your Photos

The Trees!
Jul 6, 2015 near Three R…, CA
View west from Mount Whitney Trail
Sep 14, 2015 near Lone Pine, CA
View of mountain lakes from the summit.
Jul 3, 2016 near Three R…, CA
Pear Lake - Sequoia National Park.
Sep 5, 2016 near Three R…, CA
Pear Lake
Sep 1, 2017 near Three R…, CA
Sunset Rock at sunset.
Dec 11, 2017 near Three R…, CA
Pear Lake, looking south across the lake at sunrise.
Aug 8, 2019 near Three R…, CA
Sequoia National Park
Apr 3, 2020 near Lone Pine, CA

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