Sequoia vs Kings Canyon

Is Sequoia or Kings Canyon better?

It depends on what you want. Sequoia is the place for the biggest trees; Kings Canyon is the place for the canyon and fewer crowds.

By NPS data for 2025, Sequoia had 1,378,337 recreation visits and Kings Canyon 779,791, so Kings Canyon is the quieter of the two. In our view, first-timers with one day should spend it on the trees of both parks, and anyone with a second day between May and early November should give it to Cedar Grove.

Why are Sequoia and Kings Canyon separate parks?

Because they were created at different times: Sequoia in 1890 and Kings Canyon in 1940. Since 1940 one administration has run both.

Sequoia National Park dates from 25 September 1890 and General Grant National Park from 1 October 1890. Kings Canyon National Park followed on 4 March 1940 and absorbed General Grant. The NPS says the two parks have been overseen by one administration since Kings Canyon was created, which is why the entrance fee is shared.

Together they cover about 865,964 acres (1,353 sq mi), and about 97% is designated wilderness. Elevations run from 1,370 ft to 14,494 ft at Mt Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous US, though you can't see it from any park road.

How far apart are Sequoia and Kings Canyon?

They share a border. By road, Grant Grove Village to the Giant Forest Museum is 30 miles (48 km), about 65 minutes, on the Generals Highway.

The Generals Highway is the link. The NPS gives these times in its Fall 2026 Trip Planner:

• General Sherman Tree to Grant Grove Village: 28 miles (45 km), about 60 minutes.
• Grant Grove Village to Cedar Grove Village: 29 miles (47 km), about 60 minutes.
• Giant Forest Museum to Cedar Grove Village: 60 miles (97 km), about 120 minutes.
• Ash Mountain Entrance to Cedar Grove: about 3.5 hours (NPS FAQ).

In October 2026 the NPS reported delays of up to 30 minutes on the Generals Highway between Highway 180 and Giant Forest. The road climbs from 1,400 ft at Ash Mountain to about 7,200 ft, and the NPS advises against vehicles over 22 ft between Potwisha Campground and the Giant Forest Museum.

In winter, the section between Lodgepole and Grant Grove is unplowed and often closed by snow from the Friday after 1 January to the third Friday in March. Then the way between the parks is back down through the foothills.

Can you do Sequoia and Kings Canyon in one day?

Yes, for the main sights. The General Grant and General Sherman trees are about an hour apart, and one pass covers both parks.

The straightforward route enters at Big Stump on Highway 180 and leaves through Ash Mountain on Highway 198, or the other way round. Adding Cedar Grove adds about 60 minutes each way from Grant Grove, which makes a very long day; save it for a second one if you can.

Both parks in one private day: the Kings Canyon Visitor Center, the General Grant Tree, Redwood Mountain Overlook, the General Sherman Tree, the Tunnel Log and Moro Rock, with park fees included per the listing.

★ 5.0 · 1 day · from $952

Explore the private Sequoia and Kings Canyon day → Tour details

Which is bigger, the General Sherman Tree or the General Grant Tree?

The General Sherman Tree. The NPS calls it the largest tree on Earth by volume and the General Grant Tree the world's second-largest.

The General Sherman Tree stands 274.9 ft (83.8 m) tall, is 36.5 ft (11.1 m) across at the base and holds about 52,500 cubic ft (1,486.6 m³) of wood. The General Grant Tree is 268 ft (82 m) tall. It has the titles: the Nation's Christmas Tree since 1926 and a National Shrine since 1956.

If you want more than a photo at the base, walk the Congress Trail with someone who knows the forest. The General Sherman Tree walk is a 3-hour, 3 mile (4.8 km) guided walk for up to 14 people with a wildlife biologist, per the listing. Guests like the small group: "because we were a small group we were able to set our own pace" (Wolfgang, Aug 2025). The park fee is not included.

Three hours in Giant Forest with a wildlife biologist, from the General Sherman Tree along the Congress Trail, for up to 14 people.

★ 4.9 · 3 hours · from $134

Explore the General Sherman Tree walk → Tour details

Which park has the canyon?

Kings Canyon. Its Cedar Grove area holds the glacier-carved valley that gave the park its name; Sequoia's best-known sights are its forests, with the General Sherman Tree in Giant Forest.

A 1941 NPS guide quotes John Muir describing the walls of Kings Canyon as 2,500 to 5,000 ft high. The NPS gives no single official depth figure today, so be wary of depth rankings you see online. The US Forest Service calls Hells Canyon, on the Snake River between Oregon and Idaho, "the deepest river gorge in North America".

Sequoia has its own highlights away from the trees, such as Mineral King, which is not connected by road to the rest of the park. Across the two parks, Crystal Cave is the only one of more than 200 caves open for public tours. The canyon floor walks are in our Kings Canyon National Park guide.

Do you need separate passes for Sequoia and Kings Canyon?

No. One entrance pass covers both parks for 7 days: US$35 per vehicle, US$30 per motorcycle or US$20 per person in 2026.

The pass also covers the Hume Lake District of Sequoia National Forest. The National Park Service's fees page (updated 17 April 2026) says each non-US resident aged 16+ pays a US$100 nonresident fee on top unless entering with an annual or America the Beautiful pass. A Sequoia and Kings Canyon annual pass is US$70 for US citizens and residents only, and the America the Beautiful non-resident annual pass is US$250.

No reservation is needed to enter either park. The full fee list is in our 2026 fees post.

Is Sequoia better than Yosemite?

That is a matter of taste. Yosemite is far busier, with 4,278,413 visits in 2025 against Sequoia's 1,378,337, while Sequoia has the largest tree on Earth by volume.

The two are close enough to combine: the NPS gives 130 miles (209 km), about 2 hours 30 minutes, from Yosemite's Highway 41 entrance to the Big Stump Entrance of Kings Canyon. If the choice is Sequoia or Redwood, the difference is the kind of tree. Redwood National Park is known for the world's tallest trees, coast redwoods up to 367 ft, while giant sequoias like General Sherman are the largest by volume.

From Los Angeles, Sequoia and Kings Canyon are about 4 hours to the Ash Mountain Entrance. Seasons and road openings are in our best time to visit guide.

Frequently asked questions