Sequoia National Park is home to the largest – and the largest number of – sequoia trees on earth. Due to their height, but especially their girth, sequoia trees are the biggest plants on the planet. Many of the largest trees have names and seeing them is a truly awe-inspiring experience.
There is no place like it, easily making Sequoia National Park (and the adjacent Kings Canyon National Park), one of my top national parks in the United States.
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Sequoia National Park at a Glance
⭐ State: California
⭐ Main attractions: Giant sequoia trees, black bears, Crystal cave, Moro Rock
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Sequoia National Park Travel Guide
Free guides to help you plan your trip to Sequoia National Park. Click on the links below to go to detailed guides and answers to your questions.
How to Plan a Trip to Sequoia National Park
This guide will help you with what you should AVOID doing when you plan a trip to Sequoia National Park.
Read More: 7 MISTAKES TO AVOID IN SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK
Here are my top travel tips for Sequoia National Park
Read More: 10 TIPS FOR VISITING SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK
Entrance Fee for Arches National Park
There is an entrance fee for the park. Find the latest fees on the NPS website.
To avoid long lines and save money, if you are planning to visit more than just Arches National Park this year, it can be great value to purchase an America The Beautiful pass.
The one-year pass includes entrance at sites managed by the National Park Service, Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation and Army Corps of Engineers. It covers the fee for entrance for a driver and all passengers in a personal vehicle or up to 4 adults at sites that charge per person.
Get an America The Beautiful pass here.
There are other types of passes available for seniors, veterans, etc.
Read More: NATIONAL PARKS PASSES
Sequoia National Park Visitor Centers
There are several Visitor Centers in the park.
ℹ️ Foothills Visitor Center is one mile past the Ash Mountain entrance station along the Generals Highway. It’s open every day of the year.
ℹ️ Lodgepole Visitor Center is in the Lodgepole area of the park. It’s closed in winter (end of September to late May).
ℹ️ Giant Forest Museum is housed in a historic market in the Giant Forest sequoia grove. It’s open year-round (except when weather or safety conditions require a closure), but hours vary seasonally.
ℹ️ Kings Canyon Visitor Center is in Grant Grove Village. It’s open every day of the year except when weather or safety conditions require a closure. Hours vary seasonally.
ℹ️ Cedar Grove Visitor Center is next to the South Fork of the Kings River. It’s general open from the Friday before Memorial Day weekend to mid-September.
ℹ️ Mineral King Ranger Station is located at Mile 24 on Mineral King Road. It’s generally open from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend.
Best Tours Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
🎧 Get a self-guided audio tour of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
Hikes in Sequoia National Park
My favorite hike in the park includes several of the largest trees on the planet.
Read More: HIKING THE CONGRESS TRAIL
Where to Stay In Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park
There are several lodges inside the park.
🛏️ Wuksachi Lodge (Sequoia) is located in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park and is generally open year round.
🛏️ John Muir Lodge is in Grant Grove Village in the Grant Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park and is usually open spring through fall.
🛏️ Grant Grove Cabins are in the Grant Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park. There are six types of cabins and they are generally open year round.
🛏️ Cedar Grove Lodge is located deep in Kings Canyon National Park and is generally open spring through fall.
🛏️ There are also two wilderness lodging experiences in Sequoia and Kings Canyon Wilderness. Bearpaw High Sierra Camp is eleven miles out on the High Sierra Trail, and offers comfortable cabins for wilderness hikers. Pear Lake Winter Hut is a rustic cabin for wilderness skiers.
⛺ There are fourteen campgrounds in the parks, including two that are open all year.
Where to Stay Near Sequoia National Park
There are plenty of accommodation options outside the park, mostly in Three Rivers.
Read More: BEST RENTALS SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK
➡️ See hotels near Sequoia National Park on Expedia
➡️ See more vacation rentals near Sequoia National Park on VRBO
How to Get To Sequoia National Park
The most common ways to get to Sequoia National Park are to drive or fly into one of the nearby airports and pick up a rental car there.
Read More: HOW TO GET TO SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK
🚗 If you need a rental car, find one on RentalsCars.com
✈️ If you’re looking for a flight, find a good deal on Skyscanner
The Nearest Airports for Sequoia National Park
There are several airports that you can fly into/ out of. This guide tells you about all the airports near Sequoia National Park with the pros and cons of each of them.
Read More: ALL THE AIRPORTS NEAR SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK
This is the closest airport to Sequoia National Park.
Read More: CLOSEST AIRPORT TO SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK
✈️ If you’re looking for flights, use Skyscanner to scan the Internet for the cheapest deals.
How to Get Around Sequoia National Park
During the busiest times of the year (spring-summer and holidays in fall and winter), Sequoia National Park offers free shuttle rides between attractions in the Giant Forest and Lodgepole areas. There are no shuttles in Kings Canyon National Park.
Parking usually fills up by mid-morning in the busy months, so I recommend using the shuttle when it’s running.
There are several restrictions on RVs or trailers. Read the NPS website for details on these restrictions while you’re still early in your planning stage – the southern entrance to the park, for example, is not suitable for most RVs.
🚗 If you need a rental car, find one on RentalsCars.com
The Best Time to Visit Sequoia National Park
The park is open all year but it gets a lot of snow in winter.
A quick summary of the best time to visit the national park for different interests and priorities.
Read More: THE BEST TIME TO VISIT SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK
Take a look at what the park’s like in each season and month to help you decide when to visit Sequoia National Park.
Read More: WHAT TO EXPECT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IN SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK
How Long to Spend in Sequoia National Park
How many days you should go to Sequoia National Park for depends on when you have time off, how much time you have, your budget, and your interests. I recommend at least two days in the park, and longer if you plan to visit Kings Canyon.
Travel Insurance for Sequoia National Park
In addition to working out the logistics of your trip using this travel guide, Sequoia National Park planning should also include travel insurance. Protect yourself against trip cancellation, loss or theft of your property, or any medical emergencies.
A great insurance option is Travelex. It has coverage for all you’ll need. You can compare Travel Insurance plans here or get a quote right now:
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About the Author
James Ian is a national park, camping and hiking expert.
He has dedicated his life to travel, visiting more than 80 countries, all 7 continents and most of the national parks in the United States. With over 35 years experience in the travel industry, James has worked on cruise ships, at resorts and hotels, and as a travel planner who’s helped hundreds of people plan successful trips to US national parks.
Based on his experience visiting our national parks multiple times, in-depth research and expertise as a travel planner, James has published detailed itineraries for many of the major national parks in the US. These itineraries, as well as in-depth park guides, and other resources will help you have your own incredible trip to US national parks without stress and hassle.
As a national park expert, James has contributed to many publications, including USA Today, Time Business News, Savoteur, Best Trip, and Wired.