It’s like Yosemite but without all the crowds. The limited road access makes this the least visited of all the Sierra parks. There is an overwhelming presence of truly being in the wild here.
Don’t take our word for it. After visiting in 1873, John Muir wrote: “In the vast Sierra wilderness far to the southward of the famous Yosemite Valley, there is a yet grander valley of the same kind.” He goes on to describe Kings Canyon: “The stupendous rocks of purplish gray granite that form the walls are from 2500 to 5000 feet in height, while the depth of the valley is considerably more than a mile.” Oh, and did we mention the trees? This park is home to the enormous Sequoia. This includes General Grant, the second largest tree in the world.
It’s like Yosemite but without all the crowds. The limited road access makes this the least visited of all the Sierra parks. There is an overwhelming presence of truly being in the wild here.
Don’t take our word for it. After visiting in 1873, John Muir wrote: “In the vast Sierra wilderness far to the southward of the famous Yosemite Valley, there is a yet grander valley of the same kind.” He goes on to describe Kings Canyon: “The stupendous rocks of purplish gray granite that form the walls are from 2500 to 5000 feet in height, while the depth of the valley is considerably more than a mile.” Oh, and did we mention the trees? This park is home to the enormous Sequoia. This includes General Grant, the second largest tree in the world.
Most of the visitor facilities are located near Grant Grove, as it’s the only vehicular entrance to the park. In addition to huge trees, you’ll find a visitor center, cabins, and the John Muir Lodge. There are also three campgrounds for your car-camping pleasure.
To truly see this park, you’ll have to venture into the backcountry. The John Muir/Pacific Crest Trail runs the entire length of the park from north to south. There are also 800 miles of other trails to explore. Be prepared for a lot of elevation gain and strenuous hiking. The high country is covered by snow from November to May, so take advantage of that summer window!
The courageous can try their hand at whitewater kayaking. Anglers can fly-fish in one of the many sparkling waterways. There is also a mile-long cave system to discover.
Whatever you decide to do here, you can’t go wrong. Just do us a favor and keep it on the down low.
Located under open stands of evergreen pines, this campground has more than 100 sites situated at 6,500 feet above sea level. It is about 3. 5 miles away from the Kings Canyon park entrance in the Grant Cove area, and offers ranger programs in the summer. Like most campgrounds of this size, you will be relatively close to your neighbor, but sites Read more...
This spot is located about 4 miles into the park from the entrance near Grant Grove, close to Azalea Campground. Situated among pine groves at 6,500 feet, it is a much smaller campground than Azalea, with 36 individual sites and 13 mid-sized group sites (7 to 15 people).
Campsites are spacious and nicely placed, and just about a ¼ of a mile Read more...
This campground has a lovely spot in the canyon along the South Fork of the Kings River, meaning you are just steps from one of the loveliest vistas in the park. This campground has a little bit of a wonky schedule: One loop is open April 24 through October 15 for early season, all loops are open May 21-28 for Memorial Day holiday, and all the loo Read more...
The best feature of this campground is in its name, and the vista certainly doesn’t disappoint! This campground is really only for larger groups, with 12 mid-sized group sites (7 to 19 people) and 4 large group sites (20 to 40 people) that are first-come, first-serve. The site is open from May 21 to September 29, and has showers, laundry and groc Read more...
Also located in Kings Canyon like nearby Sentinel Campground, this campground is on the middle fork of the Kings River. Located at 4,600 feet, these 111 campsites are first come, first serve, and located to the west of charming Sheep Creek. There are groceries, showers and laundry access at nearby Cedar Grove Village (a quarter mile away).
A Read more...
Moraine Campground is also located on the Middle Fork of the Kings River, and at 120 sites, it is one of the largest in the park. Like most of the bigger campgrounds at the park, the sites are numerous but fairly well spaced. There are flush toilets, but the nearest groceries, showers and laundry are ¾ of a mile down the road at Cedar Grove Villag Read more...
Despite being one of the larger campgrounds in Kings Canyon (there are 157 individual sites and 2 group sites), the high elevation means nice temperatures in the summertime and the sites are nicely spaced. This campground is really an ideal car-camping spot, which is nice if you are planning to cover ground during your trip. Also located near Gran Read more...
93% — 29 Reviews
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Kings Canyon National Park
It’s like Yosemite but without all the crowds. The limited road access makes this the least visited of all the Sierra parks. There is an overwhelming presence of truly being in the wild here.
Don’t take our word for it. After visiting in 1873, John Muir wrote: “In the vast Sierra wilderness far to the southward of the famous Yosemite Valley, there is a yet grander valley of the same kind.” He goes on to describe Kings Canyon: “The stupendous rocks of purplish gray granite that form the walls are from 2500 to 5000 feet in height, while the depth of the valley is considerably more than a mile.” Oh, and did we mention the trees? This park is home to the enormous Sequoia. This includes General Grant, the second largest tree in the world.
It’s like Yosemite but without all the crowds. The limited road access makes this the least visited of all the Sierra parks. There is an overwhelming presence of truly being in the wild here.
Don’t take our word for it. After visiting in 1873, John Muir wrote: “In the vast Sierra wilderness far to the southward of the famous Yosemite Valley, there is a yet grander valley of the same kind.” He goes on to describe Kings Canyon: “The stupendous rocks of purplish gray granite that form the walls are from 2500 to 5000 feet in height, while the depth of the valley is considerably more than a mile.” Oh, and did we mention the trees? This park is home to the enormous Sequoia. This includes General Grant, the second largest tree in the world.
Most of the visitor facilities are located near Grant Grove, as it’s the only vehicular entrance to the park. In addition to huge trees, you’ll find a visitor center, cabins, and the John Muir Lodge. There are also three campgrounds for your car-camping pleasure.
To truly see this park, you’ll have to venture into the backcountry. The John Muir/Pacific Crest Trail runs the entire length of the park from north to south. There are also 800 miles of other trails to explore. Be prepared for a lot of elevation gain and strenuous hiking. The high country is covered by snow from November to May, so take advantage of that summer window!
The courageous can try their hand at whitewater kayaking. Anglers can fly-fish in one of the many sparkling waterways. There is also a mile-long cave system to discover.
Whatever you decide to do here, you can’t go wrong. Just do us a favor and keep it on the down low.
Activities in the park
7 campgrounds in Kings Canyon National Park
Located under open stands of evergreen pines, this campground has more than 100 sites situated at 6,500 feet above sea level. It is about 3. 5 miles away from the Kings Canyon park entrance in the Grant Cove area, and offers ranger programs in the summer. Like most campgrounds of this size, you will be relatively close to your neighbor, but sites Read more...
This spot is located about 4 miles into the park from the entrance near Grant Grove, close to Azalea Campground. Situated among pine groves at 6,500 feet, it is a much smaller campground than Azalea, with 36 individual sites and 13 mid-sized group sites (7 to 15 people). Campsites are spacious and nicely placed, and just about a ¼ of a mile Read more...
This campground has a lovely spot in the canyon along the South Fork of the Kings River, meaning you are just steps from one of the loveliest vistas in the park. This campground has a little bit of a wonky schedule: One loop is open April 24 through October 15 for early season, all loops are open May 21-28 for Memorial Day holiday, and all the loo Read more...
The best feature of this campground is in its name, and the vista certainly doesn’t disappoint! This campground is really only for larger groups, with 12 mid-sized group sites (7 to 19 people) and 4 large group sites (20 to 40 people) that are first-come, first-serve. The site is open from May 21 to September 29, and has showers, laundry and groc Read more...
Also located in Kings Canyon like nearby Sentinel Campground, this campground is on the middle fork of the Kings River. Located at 4,600 feet, these 111 campsites are first come, first serve, and located to the west of charming Sheep Creek. There are groceries, showers and laundry access at nearby Cedar Grove Village (a quarter mile away). A Read more...
Moraine Campground is also located on the Middle Fork of the Kings River, and at 120 sites, it is one of the largest in the park. Like most of the bigger campgrounds at the park, the sites are numerous but fairly well spaced. There are flush toilets, but the nearest groceries, showers and laundry are ¾ of a mile down the road at Cedar Grove Villag Read more...
Despite being one of the larger campgrounds in Kings Canyon (there are 157 individual sites and 2 group sites), the high elevation means nice temperatures in the summertime and the sites are nicely spaced. This campground is really an ideal car-camping spot, which is nice if you are planning to cover ground during your trip. Also located near Gran Read more...
Why can't I see these campgrounds when I search with dates?
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