Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park trip planner

With mountain peaks reaching past 4,250 m (14,000 ft) and trees stretching to over 75 m (250 ft) high, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks present nature on a grand scale. These two parks sit adjacent to one another in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, so many visitors take them both in on the same trip. Sequoia is home to Mt. Whitney, which at 4,418 m (14,494 ft) stands as the highest mountain in the continental United States. However, the park's most well-known figure is the General Sherman Tree at 83.8 m (275 ft) high and 7.7 m (25 ft) wide--the largest tree in the world by volume. It's an estimated 2,300-2,700 years old. Other trees in the Giant Forest are equally impressive. The mountainous terrain of both parks makes the area popular for outdoor activities, with outstanding hiking and rock climbing in summer and fall and relatively reliable snowshoeing and backcountry skiing in winter and spring. It's common to see black bears in the park's meadows, and bighorn sheep are making a comeback here. With a vertical relief of over 3,960 m (13,000 ft), the parks' climate and ecosystems can vary a great deal from lower to higher elevations throughout the year. Plan your vacation with our United States route planner and discover the best things to do in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park.