Sequoia National Park, California.
Eight Incredible Things to See and Appreciate in Sequoia National Park.
We recently took a road trip through California to visit several National Parks. As we travel around the country, exploring nature and seeing wildlife are our favorite things to do, so seeing these parks has been a bucket list item for me.
They did not disappoint!
Sequoia National Park wasn’t even really on my radar when I started mapping out a plan for the road trip through California, yet in some ways it ended up being my favorite of all the places we visited on this trip.
The views were just incredible everywhere we looked. Even just driving to the park offered some beautiful sights to see — and of course, we always have to get the touristy photo at the sign. 😂
But for those who are looking for something of a guide to let you know what to see and do while you’re visiting the park, I thought I’d share my top tips and places to see so you can get all the highlights of the park included in your day.
We got to the park early and spent the whole day just driving around and taking it all in, so this can be done in one day. If you have more time, you’ll be able to do even more, and you can choose to go on some hikes and really explore further.
We entered through the Ash Mountain entrance and drove in from the southwest on Highway 198, so these are basically in the order we did them based on that. Because we were there in the winter (and much of the park was up in the mountains), some areas were still closed, so not everything was open to us. The Moro Loop/Crescent Meadow Road was closed when we were near there in the morning, but we got SUPER lucky: when we came back later that day, it had opened for the season! If you are going through the park and not leaving the same way you came in, you’ll want to do these in a slightly different order.
With that being said, here are my top things to see in the park.
Foothills Visitor Center
I’m going to include this as the first place to see, but we actually didn’t get to see it until the end of the day. We arrived too early in the park and it wasn’t open yet. They have a small souvenir shop, restrooms, and a few displays about the area for you to explore. I always enjoy visitor centers because they usually have interesting facts about the park, and you can learn some cool stuff there.
Tunnel Rock
Next, you’ll come across this rock. It used to be a tunnel in the road, but now it’s just a walking path beneath it, and the road runs along the side. It’s fun to get out and walk around the area, walk through the tunnel, and check out the sign that gives all the info about how it was made.
Giant Forest Museum
This is pretty much just like a visitor center. They had some super cool displays that show how big these trees truly are, and it’s pretty mind-blowing! They have a few souvenirs on hand, and you can get your passport stamped here, too. Also out front is Sentinel — one of the larger trees in the park.
Big Trees Trail
This is a lovely walking path through the woods, with a nearby meadow where you can see some of the huge Sequoias. Some have fallen, so you can see how massive the tree's base is and the root system as well. It’s a .7 mile loop, and you can start from the Big Tree Museum or the parking lot across from the museum.
Sherman Tree Trail and General Sherman Tree
This trail is a pleasant hike with great views of the trees, including the General Sherman Tree. It’s not flat and has some steep spots as well as quite a few steps, so be prepared for that. There is a parking lot in a different area if you have a handicap tag and need an accessible path.
The General Sherman Tree is the biggest tree on Earth by volume, so it’s quite a sight to see! It’s fenced off to protect it, but there is a loop that goes around the whole tree so you can see it from every angle.
If you have more time or you’re visiting the park for multiple days, the Congress Trail splits off from the Sherman Tree Trail, and you can head further into the Giant Forest to see even more of the notable trees in the area.
Lodgepole Visitor Center
This was by far the busiest visitor center in the park, and it was tough to find a parking spot! Once I got inside to check it out I could see why.
Not only was this a place with information about the park and ways to learn more about the trees, but it was also a market where you could find a wide variety of things, from groceries to souvenirs to camping gear. Plus, there were some food places inside. So for anyone who spends a few days here — especially camping inside the park — this can be a place where you can stock up on any supplies you might need or grab a bite to eat if you’re hungry. And then you can also grab some souvenirs if you wish. I didn’t even think to take pics of this area, so nothing to show you from here.
Generals Highway
Driving the Generals Highway from the Lodgepole Visitor Center toward the north entrance of Sequoia National Park is a beautiful scenic drive. It goes further into the mountains and offers breathtaking views! There are pull-off areas along the route so you can step out, enjoy the view, and snap some photos.
We had initially planned to continue through the park this way and exit via the north entrance, but one of the girls at the visitor center told us the road wasn’t good and it wasn’t a good idea to drive all the way through. We later found out it's actually a pretty decent road, and we could have gone all the way through.
I’m not sure whether she misunderstood where we were headed or just had bad information, but from what others told us afterward, that road is fine. If you decide to travel on, check that the road is open and safe to drive.
Moro Rock Loop/Crescent Meadow Road
The good thing about being told that we shouldn’t continue along the Generals Highway was the fact that we went back through the park the same way we came in, and when we got back to Crescent Meadow Road, it was OPEN! At least to Moro Rock Loop anyway. This road is closed in winter and reopens sometime in May, depending on weather and snow conditions. Well, we got fortunate, and they opened it up the day we were there! This turned out to be one of our favorite areas in the whole park.
This road branches off from the main road (Generals Highway) right next to the Giant Forest Museum. The road is very narrow and winding, but it’s totally worth the drive. Once you get down near Moro Rock, you get more amazing views of the mountains, plus Moro Rock itself is a pretty amazing sight to behold!
If you’re feeling strong and adventurous, you can climb to the top of Moro Rock. Some steps go to the top and while I had absolutely no desire to do that whatsoever, it was cool to see others doing it.
You will also find Tunnel Log in this area. Not going to lie, this area was a bit of a mess: a whole line of cars was circling the loop to drive through the log, and each one stopped to take pictures as they went. People seemed to be having fun with it, though, so whatever floats your boat. We opted to park farther up the hill and walk down to see the area without getting into all that traffic. (We even got lucky and got a pic in between cars so that it looks like the area was empty!)
We wandered around this area a bit and came across quite a few fantastic things, besides all the giant trees. One tree had fallen and broken into pieces, so you could step inside and see how massive it was. Another huge tree had fallen, its base still intact. We also saw quite a few deer just strolling around the area, checking out all the people while they grazed. It was a wonderful place to end our day, leaving us feeling as if we'd seen some amazing things.
As I mentioned earlier, some parts of the park are closed during the winter, and those closures can stretch well into May because it's up in the mountains. Several areas and roads were still closed when we visited, so we weren’t able to explore every part of the park. If you visit later in the summer, you can add even more to your agenda if you wish.
If you enjoy hiking, there are tons of trails throughout the park, so you could spend days here and still not see it all. But if you have just a day or two and want to drive through and see the park's highlights, this list will help you do it.
I would say this park is in my top 10, and maybe even closer to the top 5. It’s truly a beautiful place, and seeing these trees is something you can’t imagine until you’ve been there in person.