Mark L.

When you enter King Canyon National Park, you'll see the stunning mountains and enormous trees around. But we're here to check out the General Grant Giant Christmas Tree. As you venture farther into the woods, you'll notice a massive line for photos of the General Grant Giant Christmas Tree. Because there is no cell service and the phone GPS is not working, make sure to download the offline map. There are lot of winding roads, so drive carefully. Visiting Sequoia and King Canyon National Parks is an unforgettable trip.

Margaret A.

A breathtaking stroll among silent giants. They have witnessed countless peoples lives within their own. I wonder what wisdom they would impart to us? The Grant Tree trail is a half mile paved loop with no steep hills or stairs. It is suitable for anyone physically challenged or wheelchair bound. Home to the impressive General Grant tree named in 1867 after General Ulysses S. Grant. The Grant tree is 267 feet tall and over 1,500 years old. Designated our (United States) national Christmas tree by President Calvin Coolidge in 1926. Also admirably declared a National Shrine in 1956 by President Eisenhower. In 1890 Grant Grove became a national park established by Congress. It encapsulates 154 acres. The various plaques dotting the trail provide some history. Not all of it very pretty. I found it hard to look at the fallen sequoias that were cut down by people in the late 1870's. It just broke my heart and made me think of the trees fighting back in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. However I'm buoyed by the fact people finally learned from their mistake and started protecting the sequoias in 1890. If that ever changes I would advise the sequoias to fight back, just like the movie. My only suggestion for sequoia viewing would be to bring a blanket to lay down on the ground, then look up. Sadly I was lacking said blanket, but it was still a spectacular day.

Thomas L.

Inside Sequoia National Park this place was fantastic. One big failed tree was made out to be a tunnel, and I felt how large those trees were. Some of the trees are over 1500 years old, and you do not see them in the Northeastern US. Some of the trees, you can stand next to, and you can be at the bottom. Some trees are over 200 feet high. Just being next to them, you have to look way up like buildings in NYC. At the same time, you see some forests burn down from wildfires. It's a great place to escape urban city buildings and see the natural wonders. I strongly recommend traveling to Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, and Sequoia National Parks to see nature and breathe in the freshest air. I enjoyed it. I would not want to live around there, but I definitely would love to go there from time to time.

Michael B.

The General Grant tree is the second largest tree in the world. It's called the nations Christmas tree for a reason. The parking lot is pretty large and has a nice restroom. There's also a trail leading from Grant Village to this spot. The trail from the parking lot to the tree takes five minutes and is a gentle uphill slope. Prepare for lines of people wanting a photo!

Lee D.

Quality/Quantity - Good place for a pit stop. Huge visitor center. Gift shop, I did not go in. The trees were so beautiful. Clean restrooms. Atmosphere - Very easy 1.5 mile paved General Grant Tree Trail hike. Approximately 5-6 more trails. Some trails were closed due to fire hazards. See pictures, but it does not do this place justice... Sat through the short video at the visitor center, very informative. Free wifi at the visitor center. Plenty of parking, of course this is off season. Service - Self service. Price - Free, as we have an annual pass, see picture for prices. Owner Comment - Thanks for maintaining these beautiful Sequoias! Looking forward to my next visit, hopefully I will have more time.

Ron L.

Tree. The girl reminded us of the Disney movie "Brother Bear", starring two moose who are not very bright, eh. They do an I Spy game, and the answer is always "tree" ("How did you know that, eh?"). And why not? If you go here, you are surrounded by .. . Tree. Grant Grove is officially part of Kings Canyon National Park. The Hunny wanted to go to Sequoia. I explained that, to get to Sequoia from Fresno, first you go near Grant Grove, and on the map it sticks out from Sequoia like a sore thumb. Who cares why it's part of Kings Canyon and not part of Sequoia, it's still home to lots of . . . Tree. The star is naturally the General Grant. At one point, the NPS cut away the vegetation to give you a clear shot of this Tree. It looks big from afar. But when you get close, "big" is not descriptive enough. It's a massive red-barked monster with artfully-placed leaf-laden branches at the top that make it truly handsome. Cut it down, and it would produce enough lumber to build a suburb the size of Northridge. President Trump would call it "yuge". `10s kids would call it "ginormous." And Rutt and Tuke would call it Tree. It's not the only one, either. A half-mile paved trail takes you to others that aren't as big, but still need to be seen to be believed. The Fallen Monarch can be walked through. It has the same number of Sequoias as Calaveras up north, but in a smaller space. Halfway between Grant Grove and the entrance station, there's also a picnic area and the Big Stump Trail, which leads to many yuge, ginormous stumps that were once . . . Tree. Grant Grove is truly incredible. Worth its five stars. And you should see it before I count one, two, Tree.

Glen N.

The draw of the 1/3 mile paved, fenced, and rarely-flat General Grant Tree Trail is General Grant Tree (duh). At 270 feet tall and 107 feet around, after General Sherman and the President Tree, it's the third largest tree by volume. But that seems so "bronze medal" that I prefer to point out that it has the largest base of any tree in the world. Gold medal! (psst, nerds: using the traditional metric that does not take into account branches, it's actually the second largest). In 1926, President Coolidge proclaimed it Nation's Christmas tree and it's fun to imagine big mountain lions jumping into it and trying to knock down the ornaments. Another popular site is the small and empty Gamlin Cabin, bulit from sugar pines in 1872, though it is riddled with carved graffiti. Rightfully ranked 65 out of 69 on TripAdvisor's list of things to do in Kings Canyon. I think 66-69 are probably the bathrooms. My favorite part is the Fallen Monarch, a giant redwood log felled 300 years ago. You can enter from either side and walk 125 feet or more through the entire tree. If you videotape your journey, make sure to speed up your 42 second video in editing so you don't bore the friends you made watch. It was used as temporary shelter as Gamilin Cabin was built, as shelter for the U.S. Cavalry's horses 1890-1914, and, if you can believe it, a hotel/saloon. Can you imagine staying there? Every day you would have to ask for broom service. And I'm certain the wi-fi sucked. Nearly all of these reviews refer to the General Grant Tree Trail. However, the North Grove Loop (1.5 mile trail for meadows, creeks and a close look at big trees) also starts here. Other trails for the Grove include Buena Vista Peak (2 miles up a granite peak for 360-degree view) 6 miles SE of the village, Redwood Canyon (16 miles of short fire-maintained hike) about 2 miles down a dirt road, and Big Baldy Ridge (4.5 mile to a 8200' summit w/ 600' elevation gain). But for grandma's sake, do this easy, clean trail with popular sites. Grant Grove is a mile northwest of Kings Canyon Visitor Center, and one many sites on the north half of the park including Big Stump (which you pass to get here), Panoramic Point (the opposite side of 180), plus continuing up 180: Junction View (11 mi up), Hume Lake (12mi), the Scenic Byway and Boyden Cavern (20mi), Grizzly Falls (25mi), Roaring River Falls (32 mi), and Mist Falls near Road End (35mi).

Sharon P.

You can reach Grant's Grove by following a map, it's just a short drive once you're in the Sequoia National park. Once you're here you can plan to spend at least an hour for a short easy hike; more time if you want to take a longer hike. The Sequoias are so beautiful and they're all around you so even the parking lot has plenty to see. Decent restrooms, blower hand dryers (no paper waste) and bear proof trashcans everywhere. Picnics okay just be mindful that bears live in the woods. No pets, again bears live in the woods. We happened to be in the area where a giant tree was being cut down - it was weak because of a nasty bark beetle - so cutting it down before it falls on its own was necessary for safety. Amazing site albeit we were quite far away but still saw the timber as it fell to the ground with a giant "thunk". A beautiful fairly warm day made viewing and gazing an absolute pleasurable experience. Thumbs up for the easy drive and location and equally easy hike amongst the giant Sequoias.

Shayla B.

Grant Grove will make you fall in love with the beauty of Sequoias. The trail through the grove is short but extremely enticing. You'll even have fantastic views of clusters of Sequoias right from the parking lot. The Grant Trail is a one mile loop paved trail that will take you through some of the most tallest and unique Sequoias. It's located just a short driving distance from the Kong's Canyon Visitor Center. Some of the most notable stops along the trail include the Fallen Monarch, Gamblin Cabin, Centennial Stump, and the General Grant Tree. The Fallen Monarch is a large fallen Sequoias that you can literally walk through. I was able to walk through this tree and it was such a neat experience. The Gamblin Cabin dates back to 1872 and was the living quarters of its' founder Israel Gamblin and was also used as the housing space from the first park rangers of the park. Centennial Stump has one of the largest stumps within the grove measuring 24 ft in diameter. The most popular landmark within the grove is the General Grant tree. Also known as "America's Christmas Tree", this tree is known to be the third largest tree in the world by volume and measure 40 feet in diameter at its' base. The sights of General Grant are truly remarkable. You can't help but to look up and admire the height and the grace of this beauty. Along with General Grant, you'll find a whole host of other unique trees from ones that have large entry holes to some with interesting tree stumps. The grove is filled with so much greenery and a vast amount of beautiful vegetation. This is an excellent place to take children too. If you're coming to Sequoia and Kings National Park, you should definitely add this grove to your list of stops.

Brenda S.

10/10 recommend. Very easy to get too, just follow the directions on the map. There was plenty of parking but you can also park on the side of the road. There are also restrooms that I wouldn't recommend using unless you really need to go. This trail is well kept and kid friendly! There are signs that say no dogs are allowed but I did see a few people with their dogs. The trees are STUNNING! There are short barriers meant to keep people away from some of the trees but people jumped over them to try and climb the trees (which sucked because we couldn't get nice pictures of the trees without the people on them). Plan to spend at least an hour here. There is a lot to see and learn.

Hannah S.

1/3 mile, paved trail. The General Grant tree is the 3rd largest tree in the world and the widest (trunk is 40 ft across)! What we loved about the trail is it really lets you get up close and personal with the sequoias! So you get a true sense of just how astonishing these giants are! You even get to walk through a fallen one from end to end! The trail is slightly hilly, but we didn't find it to be strenuous. It was one of the most crowded trails we did. There's an unpaved trail branching off of the paved main trail that added some fun and let you really get a close look at the giant trees! The trail was very easy to find (lots of signage) and had ample parking. There are bathrooms at the entrance but they were probably some of the dirtiest bathrooms I've ever been in unfortunately. That was the only negative.

Seth A.

The highlight and main attraction of Grant Grove is GENERAL GRANT TREE. It's known as The Nation's Christmas Tree and one of the tallest trees in the world! There are so many great aspects to visiting here at Grant Grove. To be precise, when driving from the road....look for signs for General Grant Tree. It's at this point where you turn into a parking lot. And here is where Grant Grove is located....a simple and very much accessible 1/2 mile loop paved trail that circulates around some of the most majestic trees in all of Sequoia and King's Canyon. The location of Grant Grove is great. It's situated right on the borderline between Sequoia and King's Canyon Parks. At some point during visiting, most folks should approach this area and have a moment to look around. I actually rented a tent cabin next door at Grant Grove Village for a couple of nights during my stay. Waking up on my 2nd morning....I easily drove only 2 miles down the road to arrive here at Grant Grove. And being early around 7am.....I had the whole path to myself to enjoy and appreciate these undisturbed surroundings. (Reason I'm saying this is because....the prior day along the Congress Trail at Sequoia NP, the amount of tourists among that area to observe General Sherman Tree was overwhelmingly congested.) But besides getting up close views of General Grant Tree, the entire 1/2 mile path lead me to unlimited opportunities to lose myself in the beauty of the forest while surveying many other statuesque sequoias. Combined with coming over during the quiet morning hours.....my experience at Grant Grove was certainly peaceful. It was not only a great beginning towards my day, but an overall memorable one throughout my exploration of King's Canyon. This place is convenient. I only used 1 - 1.5 hours of my time out of the day to savor the scenery. If anyone cares, lol....from here at Grant Grove, my day continued on as I drove over to Big Stump Trail to collect a different perspective of the sequoias amongst a unique setting. Finally I ended my journey driving 30 mile General's Highway or also known as the Scenic Bi-Way into the heart of picturesque King's Canyon. In total, the Grant Grove path and area.......and having the chance to view General Grant Tree was one of my favorite moments touring Sequoia and King's Canyon. Being relatively secluded away from the touristy section of the Giant Forest area of Sequoia NP made this spot among the parks that much worthwhile. I highly recommend exploring Grant Grove.

Jacqueline T.

This is one of the first things you'll drive past as you enter King's Canyon National Park. If you've never seen sequoias before, this will be a very cool experience. It's a short walk around this grove. We spent around half an hour exploring. You'll find the General Grant Tree here which is what the grove is known for. You can also walk through a tree that has fallen down which is pretty cool. It's flat and paved, so not really a hike, but more of a stroll. I think it's definitely a place to check out in the park.