Sequoia National Park is one of nine national parks in California and it’s home to towering sequoia trees. While you’ll find some of the largest trees in the world, there’s more to do at this park than just stare at trees. Get out and hike. Drive a very windy, but scenic mountain road. Climb a rock for some great mountain views. With just one day in Sequoia National Park, you’ll be able to cover the highlights.
One Day in Sequoia National Park
This itinerary is loosely based off my own itinerary from when I visited Sequoia National Park. You’ll get some great views, feel small as you stand next to Sequoia trees, and have a chance to get out and hike.
As a note, this will strictly focus on Sequoia National Park and the only stops at Kings Canyon (which is managed together with Sequoia National Park) are completely optional and dependent on time and energy.
I’m starting this itinerary at 8:00 am. I debated whether or not to start this later since I feel like you don’t need every single minute of the day to cover all of the highlights. While you may finish earlier in the afternoon than you normally would, the benefit is that by getting here early, there are less crowds and that is always a victory. Plus, it’s cooler earlier in the day and that can make hiking more pleasant. But feel free to adjust your start time to what works for you.
8:00 – Enter Sequoia National Park via the South Entrance
Start your day at the southern entrance of Sequoia National Park. From here, you’ll pass through the entrance station and start on the very windy Generals Highway.
8:15 – Views along Generals Highway
Your goal over the next hour is to make your way to the trailhead for Moro Rock. From the entrance station, it’s about an hour drive to the trailhead. However, don’t get too stressed if you take more than an hour to drive this route. The views are beautiful and there are plenty of pull outs. Plus, the road is full of hairpin turns and you can’t drive very fast, even if you wanted to.
While it’s up to you which view points you want to stop for, I’m going to make a few recommendations.
First is just a quick photo stop and it’s for Tunnel Rock. This is a short (very short) tunnel made up of stacked rocks. You can stop for a quick photo, but there isn’t too much more to say here.
Next, there’s plenty of pull outs, and I’ll just name a few. Amphitheater Viewpoint and Vista Point were great, but you’ll find even more unnamed points that you can stop at.
You’ll eventually make your way away from the scenic mountain views and into the first of the sequoia forests. We made a quick stop at the Four Guardsman which can be great for photos. Well, I assume it was great. We made this a quick stop because there was one woman taking what appeared to be hundreds of photos in the best spot. This is not the only place to get up close with the sequoia trees, so don’t stress if you’re in a similar situation.
9:15 – Hike to Moro Rock
The parking lot at Moro Rock is small and therefore it makes sense to try to get here early. Plenty of people park along the road leading to the lot instead. The problem is the road is a one way road so if you don’t get a spot at the lot, you’ll need to leave the trailhead area and loop around to get one of those spots along the road. This happened to us, but it was early enough in the day that we had no problems getting a decent spot when we looped around. When we finished the trail though, there were very limited spots remaining so it pays to get an early start.
Moro Rock is technically a hike, but it’s not a hike like you might be thinking. Instead of hiking through a forest, you’ll walk along carved out rock and stairs to reach an amazing view point. The trail is narrow in spots so this is definitely a trail you don’t want to do with a lot of people, which is all the more reason to try to get here earlier in the day.
The hike is short, only about a half mile in length, but you’ll have 200 feet of elevation gain. All that elevation gain comes from the 350 stairs that you’ll climb to get to the view point.
It took my mom and I about 25 minutes to do this trail and that includes plenty of time for pictures at the top. After you finish the trail, head out to your next stop.
10:00 – Tunnel Log
This is a quick photo stop, but you’ll drive right passed it on your way from Moro Rock to Crescent Meadows so I’m including it on this itinerary. Like Tunnel Rock, Tunnel Log is a very small tunnel that you will drive through. For large vehicles, there is a path around the fallen tree.
The log fell in 1937 and then had a whole cut through it to allow cars to pass through.
I didn’t find it particularly impressive, but you’re driving through this way anyway, so you might as well take the quick photo.
10:15 – Hike Crescent Meadows
Crescent Meadows gives a slight break from the sequoia trees (don’t worry, I promise we’ll get back to them and have some of the best views later) and for that reason, I’m including it on this itinerary. Personally, I like a variety in my day and I think Crescent Meadows helps to add it.
The Crescent Meadow Trail is an easy hike that takes you through the woods and to a meadow. Even better, it felt like there weren’t any other travelers here (there were other travelers of course, but compared to other areas of the park, Crescent Meadow was delightfully empty).
On this hike, I logged 1.46 miles and 150 feet of elevation gain. My mom and I took 35 minutes to hike this trail and that includes plenty of time to stop for pictures.
12:00 – Visit General Sherman Tree
After your hike, it’s time to visit General Sherman Tree which is the largest tree in the world. Not the tallest, but the largest by volume. Sure, largest doesn’t have quite the same ring as tallest, but the tree is still massive and it’s a must see for your one day in Sequoia National Park.
From the parking lot, you’ll walk downhill for about a quarter mile until you reach the crowds and General Sherman Tree. The tree is massive and it’s worth venturing out here for, but I think it’s also important to be aware that everyone else coming to Sequoia National Park has the same idea. This was the busiest area of the park when I visited.
If you want a picture of yourself with the tree (and the General Sherman Tree sign), be prepared to wait for it. If you can live without having the sign in your photo, you can walk the perimeter of the tree and easily find a spot with fewer people. The other suggestion is to get creative. I managed to snag my picture by waiting near the front of the line and snapping a quick picture while two groups swapped places. Not bad.
12:15 – Hike the Congress Trail
From the General Sherman Tree, look out for signs for the Congress Trail. This is the last hike of the day and in my opinion, I’ve saved the best for last.
During my visit, it seemed like 95% of visitors stopped at the General Sherman Tree but didn’t venture much beyond that. Well it’s their loss and my gain because the scenery here was what I envisioned seeing at Sequoia National Park.
This trail weaves you through groves of sequoia trees. You’ll pass the McKinley Tree (even if you don’t see a sign, look for the tree with a “mustache”) as well as two groves known as “The House” and “The Senate”. Do you see where the name “Congress Trail” comes from? These two areas have a tight group of a few trees. These are ideal places to get that photo looking straight up. You’ll feel very short with so many of trees towering around you.
That’s not to say that there aren’t other places to find tall trees. Tall sequoia trees are all over Sequoia National Park, but rather there’s are two places where you can find trees nestled together. In most places, the trees are a decent distance apart.
Starting from the parking lot and including time at General Sherman Tree, we logged 3.2 miles and 479 feet of elevation gain over 1 hour and 25 minutes while on the Congress Trail.
1:30 – More Views Along Generals Highway
After you’ve finished the Congress Trail, it’s time to start working your way to the exit of the park. You have two choices. You could exit the same way you entered (and go through that windy, hairpin turn filled road again), or you could exit through the northern Kings Canyon entrance.
Personally, I recommend exiting through the Kings Canyon entrance because it offers just a bit different scenery. You may feel different, especially if you’re staying in Three Rivers or Visalia. So, ultimately the choice is yours.
2:00 – Exit via Kings Canyon Entrance Station
This one day itinerary is over. Head back to town, grab a late lunch, and enjoy an early night at your hotel.
With More Energy
If you think this is too early and you still have more energy, I’d recommend dedicating it to more hiking within the Congress Trail. There are plenty of trails in this area that spur off from the main Congress Trail, so by all means, get out and hike on one of those if you still have the energy.
The other option is to take a quick peak at Kings Canyon. If you’re exiting via the Kings Canyon entrance, you’re very close to General Grant Grove, which is home to the second largest tree, the General Grant Tree.
Is One Day in Sequoia National Park Enough?
In my opinion, yes. One day in Sequoia National Park is enough. There are other hiking trails and activities you can do beyond what I mentioned, but I think for the average visitor, one day is enough.
With more time, I recommend spending it at the adjacent Kings Canyon National Park.
Can You Reverse This Itinerary?
Yes. I think timing is everything though and you’ll need to think about when you are visiting. If you’re here on a very hot day, I’d recommend trying to do the hike to Moro Rock earlier in the day. Plus, parking can be limited here. Even in the morning, we had to circle the loop again because the lot was full and we had to park on the road.
The downside of leaving General Sherman Tree til the end is that this area is very popular and it’s nearly impossible to get a photo without other people in it.
When to Visit Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park can be visited all year round, but some months are better than others.
Summer is peak travel season where you can expect the highest prices and the highest visitor numbers. During these months, a free shuttle is operated by the National Park Service to help ease the parking and driving problems.
Winter is low season. Yes you’ll have fewer tourists, but you’ll need to be prepared for winter driving conditions (snow and ice). While you won’t be too far from Fresno, many of the sights you’ll want to see at Sequoia National Park sit above 6,000 feet of elevation. At this elevation, don’t be surprised to see snow and ice.
Spring and fall are shoulder season which can offer a nice balance of crowds and weather. Keep in mind in early fall, you may need to watch out for wildfires. On our visit, wildfires closed one area of the park, but it was not an area we had planned to visit. The wildfires didn’t affect us, but that’s no guarantee.
My mom and I visited Sequoia National Park in mid September. We had excellent weather despite reports of haze from nearby wildfires (there was a bit of haze, but honestly, the wildfire haze I had up in Glacier National Park earlier that summer was worse). While there were plenty of people at General Sherman Tree and Moro Rock, I wouldn’t say it felt overwhelmingly busy.
Where to Stay on Your Visit to Sequoia National Park
You have several options for accommodations for your visit to Sequoia National Park. My advice is to first consider your itinerary. Are you just spending one day doing both Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park? If so, then I recommend staying close to park, ideally near where you’ll exit the park. If you start at Kings Canyon and finish at Sequoia, the towns of Three Rivers and Visalia would be good options.
We chose to stay in Dinuba which was about an hour drive from both the Sequoia National Park entrance and the Kings Canyon National Park entrance. Since we had plans to enter through both entrances, it made sense to find somewhere that was more “in the middle”. Plus, Dinuba was a bit more of a budget option than Three Rivers or Visalia.
Entrance Fees for Sequoia National Park
Entrance into Sequoia National Park is $35 per vehicle. Your pass will be good for seven consecutive days and will also include entrance into Kings Canyon National Park.
Annual passes, such as the America the Beautiful pass, are also accepted. If you plan on visiting two or more national parks within twelve months of your visit to Sequoia National Park, it’s worth it to pick up the $80 pass.
Kings Canyon National Park
Sequoia National Park is managed with Kings Canyon National Park. The lines can feel a little blurry between the two parks, especially since you could reasonably visit both parks in one day. If you’re short on time, go ahead and visit both parks, but note that you won’t be able to do everything on this list, or on my top 5 of Kings Canyon National Park.
Final Thoughts
One day in Sequoia National Park allows you to see all of the highlights without feeling rushed. Yes, you could add on parts of Kings Canyon National Park, but I feel like by doing that, you’re just trying to jam too much into one day and you’ll inevitably have to make a few sacrifices. So instead, build out your itinerary in such a way that you can spend two days here and dedicate one full day to exploring Sequoia National Park.
Continue Your Adventure
Sequoia & Kings Canyon: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are managed together, but both have a lot to offer. Don’t miss my top 5 of Sequoia and my top 5 of Kings Canyon. Plus learn how to spend one day at Kings Canyon. If you’re short on time, combine Sequoia and Kings Canyon into one day.
Itinerary: Visit Sequoia National Park as part of an epic one week road trip that also features Kings Canyon and Yosemite National Park.
US National Parks: Start planning your national park vacation with my US National Park Travel Guide. You’ll find information about each park, photos, itineraries, and everything you need to start planning your trip. And don’t forget to book your timed entry reservations in advance!