2 Day Sequoia National Park Itinerary With Kids (& Kings Canyon!)
If you’re lucky enough to visit Sequoia National Park, you’ll want to maximize your time and see all the incredible things that the park is known for. Sequoia National Park is known for having the biggest trees on the entire planet, and walking amongst them is absolutely magical. While exploring this park, you can also see epic viewpoints, drive through a log, and explore nearby Kings Canyon National Park. Here is everything you should do on your 2 day Sequoia National Park itinerary with your kids!
Disclosure : Some of my blog posts do contain affiliate links which means I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you decide to make a purchase. Thanks for supporting me and helping me to continue to make free content on this platform!
2 Day Sequoia National Park Itinerary and Kings Canyon
How Many Days to Spend in Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon?
If you’re wondering how many days in Sequoia National Park, I would suggest 1 or 2 days to see the highlights for each National Park (Sequoia and Kings Canyon). You can definitely have a more leisurely National Parks trip if you spread this out, and there is always more to explore (over 96% of these parks are backcountry!).
You can definitely hit the highlights with 1 day in each park, but plan for more if you want to explore the park in depth or explore at a slower pace. I would recommend visiting both Sequoia and Kings Canyon on your trip because they are both connected. Unless you live near the area and can come back over and over again, I would recommend hitting both in one trip!
Where to Stay in Sequoia National Park?
If you can swing it to stay inside the park, you’ll save yourself some driving time. Staying in the nearby towns of Three Rivers will be about an hour’s drive to the Giant Forest area and even farther to Kings Canyon. It definitely can be done, we actually stayed in Exeter on our trip, but plan for a little more time in the car.
For a full list of our recommended places to stay, check out the Ultimate Guide to Sequoia National Park with Kids!
Should I Visit Sequoia & Kings Canyon in One Day?
I would NOT recommend squeezing in a visit to both parks in one day. If you only have one day to spend, I would highly recommend choosing one of the two parks to explore. Otherwise, you will spend a huge chunk of your day in the car. And while the drives are scenic, your kids will likely get a little stir crazy.
If I Only Have One Day Should I Choose Sequoia or Kings Canyon?
For traveling with kids, I would personally choose to visit Sequoia National Park if I HAD to choose (please don’t make me choose though!) There are more kid friendly hiking trails, and it’s less of a drive from the major towns. Plus, traveling all the way over to California and not getting to see the biggest tree in the world would just be a bummer.
Kings Canyon does have the second biggest tree in the world, so if you do choose Kings Canyon you’ll still get to see some massive trees, and drive into the deepest canyon in the United States – yes even deeper than the Grand Canyon. Kings Canyon also has a few fun swimming spots if you’re visiting on a super hot day.
Can I Visit Sequoia and Kings Canyon in One Day?
If you’re wondering, can you do both Sequoia and Kings Canyon in one day? I would not recommend it. Because of the driving time it takes to get to both Sequoia and Kings Canyon, it would be a lot of time in the car for little kids. If you only have one day, choose which park interests you more and spend more time in one of them.
The two parks are connected, so if you wanted to visit the General Grant area of Kings Canyon you could probably do that fairly easily. However, a huge part of the experience of Kings Canyon is driving down into the canyon – so my recommendation would be to NOT visit both parks in one day.
One Day in Sequoia National Park Itinerary
If you only have one day to explore Sequoia National Park, here is an itinerary with all the family friendly highlights. This park is HUGE and a big section of it is backcountry, so you could literally explore here forever. But one day will give you an introduction to the magic of the biggest trees in the world and the Sierra Nevada mountains.
1st Stop: General Sherman Tree
Visit the Biggest Tree in the World!
If there is one iconic spot in Sequoia National Park that you won’t want to miss, it’s seeing the biggest tree in the ENTIRE world. The General Sherman Tree is the number one tree in the world for size when it comes to total volume (weighing about 2.7 million pounds!) Seeing it up close and feeling so small will give you a feeling that I can’t even describe.
Because this is such a cool spot, it can get VERY crowded and I promise you’ll have a better experience if you get to enjoy it without as many people. You’ll want to get up early, especially if it’s a weekend or holiday during the high season! Parking could also be an issue if you don’t arrive early enough.
We were in the parking lot by 7 and we got to have the whole tree to ourselves for a few minutes!
2nd Stop: Hike the Congress Trail
One of the Best Hikes in Sequoia National Park
The Congress Trail is the perfect hiking trail to start your Sequoia National Park trip with. Just stopping at the General Sherman Tree won’t give you the full experience of hiking through the massive Sequoia trees. But if you’re going to be visiting the General Sherman Tree, the Congress Trail is along the same trail.
Distance: 2.9 miles
Elevation: 462 feet
Tip: This trail is a loop, but if you’re not up for going the whole distance, just walk a little farther along the trail as long as you feel you can and you’ll see some more incredible Sequoias.
We’ve also got you covered with a list of the best fun and easy hikes in Sequoia & Kings Canyon!
3rd Stop: Go to the Visitor Center
Get a Passport Stamp and a Souvenir
Stopping by the visitor center is a stop we never skip on our National Parks trips. It’s a great way to pick up a map, get your bearings, talk to a knowledgeable ranger and get your National Parks Passport stamped. We also always get a couple souvenirs, a kids book and a fridge magnet!
It’s also so much fun to participate in the Junior Ranger Program. These programs are a great way to get your kids invested in the park and to learn about the park you’re visiting! You can stop here and pick up your packet and return it at the end of your trip for a badge.
Here are some more awesome Things to do in Sequoia National Park with Kids!
4th Stop: The Giant Forest Museum
Learn About the History of Sequoia National Park
If you’re interested in learning more about the big trees and the history of Sequoia National Park, you’ll want to visit the Giant Forest Museum. It’s right next to the visitor center and is free to visit. The museum will help you learn the difference between the Redwood Trees and Sequoia Trees and more.
5th Stop: Beetle Rock
This is a super quick stop with a great view. This awesome viewpoint is only a few minutes walk from the parking lot. You’ll want to stop by Beetle Rock while you’re in the Giant Forest area, because you won’t even have to move your car to access this spot!
Depending on the visibility of the day, you can see beautiful views of the Sierra Nevada mountains. If you’re spending more time in the area, Beetle Rock would also be a great sunset spot.
6th Stop: Walk the Big Trees Trail
A Stroller Friendly path
If you’ve had enough hiking for the day you can skip this stop, but this stroller friendly trail is great for if your kids have had enough but you want to keep exploring. Here you can see the big trees in more of a meadow setting. The trail has interpretive signs along the way so you can learn a little bit while you walk.
It’s also located in the Giant Forest section of the park, so you don’t have to go far for this trail.
7th Stop: Moro Rock
One of the Most Unique Hikes in Sequoia National Park
The Moro Rock hike with kids comes with a bit of a disclaimer. This hike is only about half a mile, but it is 350 stairs! Length wise, it’s totally doable with kids, but we didn’t actually take our toddler all the way to the top because it didn’t feel safe. We took turns going to the top!
The trail is really narrow in places and with the crowds that can accumulate on this trail, we were concerned about having our squirmy toddler in our arms near the steep drop offs. Also, the top of the trail has really incredible views, but there isn’t a fence preventing a toddler from falling off. So if you have kids who are responsible and good listeners, this could be a trail to try (or if your little ones are small enough to be in a front pack).
We did love this trail though so even if you have to take turns with your partner, I would recommend trying to make it on this hike!
8th Stop: See Tunnel Log
Drive Your Car Through a Sequoia Tree!
How many people can say they’ve driven their car through a log?? This Sequoia National Park stop is a really unique thing to do that I’ve never experienced anywhere else! This attraction is located near Moro Rock so I would recommend visiting both around the same time.
TIP: Tunnel Log is another stop that can be really really busy depending on the day of the week or the time of day. We also encountered several people who drove through multiple times to get the perfect Instagram shot, so visit this later in the evening or early in the morning if you can.
I’m not a big fan of waiting in lines for things like this, so I probably would skip it if there is a huge line of cars.
One Day itinerary for Kings Canyon National Park
This Kings Canyon 1 day itinerary is jam packed! Since you only have one day, this itinerary will show you all the highlights. It’s also a bit of a drive to get into the canyon, so unless you are staying inside the park, you may not want to drive all the way down the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway again. If you’re visiting Kings Canyon with kids and you want to spend more time exploring in the canyon, I would highly recommend staying inside the park so you don’t have to make that drive multiple times.
1st Stop: The General Grant Tree
Visit The Second Largest Tree in the World!
Start your morning with a nice leisurely walk to see the second largest tree in the world (by volume). This loop is less than a mile and has some really fun highlights along the way. Including a little tree tunnel you can walk through!
2nd Stop: Panoramic Point
A quick Stop with Beautiful Panoramic Views of the Sierras
Panoramic Point is a quick half mile accessible trail that has stunning views of the High Sierra, Kings Canyon, and Hume Lake on a clear day. The type of views are similar to those at Beetle Rock, so if you don’t feel like getting out of the car you could skip this stop to save time.
There is a lot of driving along the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway to get to the bottom of the canyon, so we love a good excuse to stretch your legs! This is also a good spot to see the sunset if ouif you’re visiting at that time of day.
3rd Stop: Hume Lake
Your Last Chance to Get Gas & See the Beautiful Hume Lake!
Hume Lake is a unique stop along the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway. It’s actually not part of the National Park, but is a kids summer camp. Even though it’s not part of the park, you can stop here and enjoy the beautiful lake. There are seasonal boat and kayak rentals or you can fish and swim at the lake on a hot day.
TIP: If you are at all low on gas you NEED to fill up at Hume Lake. There are very limited gas options in the park and this will be your last chance. The Hume Lake gas station is also a good place to get a snack if you need before you keep driving down the Scenic Byway.
4th Stop: The Kings Canyon Scenic Byway
Drive the 50 mile Road Through the Deepest Canyon in the USA
The Kings Canyon Scenic Byway is one of the prettiest drives in the entire United States. Enjoy the view as you drive down into the deepest canyons in the US (yes even deeper than the Grand Canyon!) The road is pretty narrow so if you have a big vehicle or are towing anything, you’ll need to check out the road restrictions.
5th Stop: Hike Zumwalt Meadow
The Best Easy Hike in Kings Canyon
Zumwalt Meadow is a lovely hike through massive rocks and beautiful meadows with upward views of the canyon from the valley below. This trail used to be a loop, but a wildfire destroyed part of it. So now it’s a nice out and back trail that you can extend further if you’d like.
If you choose one hike to do in Kings Canyon with your kids, make it this one! And check out our list of the best Easy Hikes in Sequoia & Kings Canyon for more!
Distance: 1.5 miles
Elevation: 157 feet
6th Stop: Muir Rock
a Fun Swimming Spot in Kings Canyon
A perfect stop for swimming in Kings Canyon on a hot day – definitely recommend this!! You can hike here from Zumwalt Meadow or you can just get back in the car and drive (probably the better option with kids).
As always when you are swimming near a river, please be careful. Conditions could change. We stayed in the shallow area with our little one. And it’s always a good idea to check with a ranger because they know the area better than anyone.
And here are some other awesome Things to do in Kings Canyon National Park with Kids!
7th Stop: See Roaring River Falls
A Quick Stop to a Roadside Waterfall
Roaring River Falls is a really quick stop off the road to see a powerful waterfall. Stop by the Cedar Grove Visitor Center afterwards for a passport stamp and a souvenir. There is also food options here if you need a bite to eat. Just a heads up this visitor center has pretty limited souvenir options.
8th Stop: Grab Ice Cream
Don’t Miss this Stop After a Long Hot Summer Day!
Stop for ice cream along the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway on your way home. After all that hiking and time in the sun, you earned a few scoops!! This spot is easy to miss, so make sure you keep a lookout near the Kings Canyon Campground.
I hope you have the BEST time on your trip to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park with your family. These parks are some of our favorites and we can’t wait to go back! If you want some more travel inspiration, check out our favorite Sequoia Kids Books and our favorite Sequoia Adult Books!
