Kings Canyon
A glacier-carved canyon over a mile deep, plus the giant General Grant Tree.
- Hours
- Open 24/7; Cedar Grove May to mid-Nov
- Entry
- $35 per car
- Reservations
- Not required
- Size
- 461,901 acres
Kings Canyon Weather Now
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Kings Canyon began as General Grant National Park in 1890 to protect the General Grant Tree, and it was expanded and renamed in 1940. The park has two very different front-country areas: Grant Grove, a sequoia forest near the western entrance, and Cedar Grove, on the floor of a glacier-carved canyon more than a mile deep. Nearby Redwood Mountain Grove is the largest remaining giant sequoia grove in the world. Most of the park is roadless wilderness reached only on foot.
Kings Canyon gets about half as many visitors as Sequoia, so trails and viewpoints often feel quieter. The drive down Highway 180 into Cedar Grove is one of the most dramatic roads in the Sierra Nevada, though it is only open from about May to mid-November. Cedar Grove and Tehipite Valley were not added to the park until 1965, after years of debate over building dams there. Kings Canyon shares its management, entrance fee and annual pass with neighboring Sequoia National Park.
The park and surrounding area
- Park boundary
- Other parks
- Major highway
- Road
- Rivers and lakes
- Town
Plan your trip
- Best time to go
- June through mid-October, when Highway 180 into Cedar Grove is open and the waterfalls and river trails are at their best.
- How long to stay
- Plan one day for Grant Grove and a second day for Cedar Grove.
- Getting there
- Fresno Yosemite International (FAT) is about 1 hour 15 minutes from the Big Stump Entrance on Highway 180. Los Angeles International (LAX) is about 4.5 hours away.
- Wildlife
- Black bears, mule deer, Steller's jays, Douglas squirrels, and trout in the Kings River.
Plan and book
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Where to stay
- Hotels in Fresno (opens in a new tab)California
- Hotels in Yokuts Valley (opens in a new tab)California
- Hotels in Reedley (opens in a new tab)California
- Lodges inside the park (opens in a new tab)Official NPS list
Tours and activities
- Guided tours on Viator (opens in a new tab)Day trips, wildlife, photography
- Tours on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)Compare options and reviews
- Campsites on Recreation.gov (opens in a new tab)Official federal booking site
What to pack for Kings Canyon
- Waterproof hiking shoesRiver trails like Mist Falls and Zumwalt Meadow can be wet and rocky.
- Tire chainsChain controls can go into effect around Grant Grove with little notice from fall through spring.
- Bear canisterRequired for food storage on many overnight trips into the backcountry.
- Sun hatThe Cedar Grove canyon floor gets hot and exposed on summer afternoons.
- BinocularsUseful for spotting bears in meadows and climbers on canyon walls.
A first day, start to finish
- General Grant Tree loop
- Panoramic Point
- Kings Canyon Scenic Byway and Junction View
- Roaring River Falls
- Zumwalt Meadow loop
Don't miss
- General Grant TreeThe second-largest tree in the world by volume, reached by a short paved loop of about a third of a mile in Grant Grove.
- Panoramic PointA short, steep walk from the parking area to views over Hume Lake and the High Sierra; the road closes in winter.
- Kings Canyon Scenic BywayHighway 180 drops about 30 miles from Grant Grove into a canyon more than a mile deep, with pullouts above the Kings River.
- Zumwalt MeadowAn easy loop of about 1.5 miles in Cedar Grove past a green meadow ringed by granite walls like Grand Sentinel.
- Mist FallsA roughly 8-mile round-trip hike from Roads End along the South Fork of the Kings River to a wide, roaring waterfall.
Know before you go
Do
- Lock all food and scented items in the bear boxes; Cedar Grove has very active bears.
- Enter through Big Stump on Highway 180 if you are driving an RV or trailer.
- Fill your gas tank before you come; there are no gas stations in the park.
Don't
- Wade into the Kings River when it runs fast; it is cold and has strong currents.
- Plan a Cedar Grove trip in winter; Highway 180 into the canyon is closed from mid-November to spring.
- Leave food or coolers in your car or campsite unattended.
The park is open 24 hours a day, year-round, and the Grant Grove area stays open all winter, though snow can close roads until plowed and tire chains may be required. Highway 180 into Cedar Grove typically opens in May and closes November 13 in 2026, and Panoramic Point Road closes in winter. Kings Canyon Visitor Center in Grant Grove is open all year (9 am to 4:30 pm after October 12, 2026), while Cedar Grove Visitor Center closes for the season on October 25, 2026.
Make the drive to Cedar Grove in the morning so the light is on the canyon walls, and stop at Junction View on the way down.Trekker's tip