First, I did not see any signs from the 180 leading to this point, but it's Panoramic Point Road,…read morethe opposite direction of Grant Tree Road that intersects 180 near Azalea Campground about 2 miles from the visitor center. If the road isn't closed, just drive up and keep going up until you get to the parking lot. The paved path is a paved, pine-tree shaded, steady uphill climb of 100 feet, a 1/2 mile roundtrip. If my dad had walked this path when he was a kid, it would have been uphill both ways. A sign reads "...high mountains and deep canyons, the rocks, the hills and valleys, the result of forces (tremendous earth upheavals, erosion, the movement of ponderous glaciers and raging rivers, the winds and changing temperatures) operating over millions of years." A display points out the Obelisk, Mount McGee, North Palisade, Eagle Peak, and Spanish Mountain (which Trump is trying to build a wall around). You can also see spires along Tombstone Ridge, bald patches caused by landslides (or wearing a hat, my dad says), and a cradled Hume Lake 2,300 feet below (12 miles away/33 min drive). The view of the Sierra Nevadas look just like the beer label. Panoramic Point is one of many sites on the north half of the park including Big Stump (which you passed to get here), General Grant Tree (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).

The panoramic point was closed in last April and finally we could check it out this time. My hubby…read morehas been there before so he wanted to take me there. This place is hidden gem! You can choose to hike start from the trailhead at the end of Panoramic Point Road, 2 miles up from the park visitor center and market at Grant Village. We chose to drive up to the parking lot instead. It was about a 10 minute drive up on a narrow road from the John Muir Lodge. Gorgeous overlook and amazing views from the top. Highly recommended!

Way way cool place to go. This is located in Buckeye Flats Campground. There is a trail that goes…read morealong the creek. Many watering holes to play in.

A lot of people in Tulare County are familiar with Kaweah Oaks Preserve, but Sequoia Riverlands…read moreTrust actually oversees a few different preserves in this area. Dry Creek is one of them. Of the three that I have been to, Dry Creek Preserve is my favorite. The property has a caretaker which I like for safety purposes. It's nice to know you aren't on the property alone. They have a plant sale several times throughout the year and the plants are amazing. I have 7 of their SRT harvested plants in my backyard. I like to buy from them because the plants are native to the area and drought tolerant. The last few I bought were $9.95 each and they grow so well! There is a huge open parking lot near the caretaker's property.As you enter there is an information bulletin board with maps and two handicapped accessible restrooms with flush toilets. There are several trails on the property and the property is very open with natural foliage mostly concentrated down by the Kaweah River that runs through it. It's a great place to walk your dog, take photos, or have a picnic.

Near the bathrooms bordering a large parking lot, a trail will lead you to some cool sights. The…read moretrail has 200 feet of elevation gain and about 1.5 miles round trip. It is not well-marked, which sucks because it can be a bit of a maze, so if you don't want to miss anything, you could drive 2 miles up the road to the Kings Canyon visitor center for a map. Bring bug spray and be sure to get your ears because that is where the weird rectangle flying things will hover and buzz near you like police helicopters over Long Beach at night. Sights: Just past a meadow is OLD ADAM, a forty-foot hollow but imposing piece of fire and lightning-scarred, centuries old wood that is not a tree, but merely a piece of one of the largest trees likely to ever exist. A ranger climbed inside to shine a light and found the carved names of history's passersby, including "Sparrow 1758" but they recommend a selfie instead. It is one of the oldest written histories of a European in California. If you pass a sign designating a mill that was once there (which is silly, they could say, hey, look at this big hole, it used to have a giant carved blood-soaked eagle used in Native American sacrifices, but yeah, it's a hole), you will find MARK TWAIN STUMP. Once one of the largest sequoias, the tree was cut down in 1891 so that a cross-section could be displayed in natural history museums in New York and London. The rest became grape stakes and fence posts. They added stairs so that you can climb it. On the way to the Stump I followed a sign to Feather Bed. I didn't see anything of interest. Maybe it's called FEATHER BED because you will fall asleep it is so boring. However, at the end of the trail I found SAWED TREE. Sawed Tree is a giant sequoia stump, spiked like Bart Simpson's hair, bearing the scars of a crosscut saw. I don't know if you are allowed to climb it, but it's climbable. I guess anything is climbable, really. Except my sister. Big Stump Grove is one of many sites on the north half of the park including General Grant Tree and Panoramic Point (3.7 mi), Junction View (15 mi up), Hume Lake (16mi), the Scenic Byway and Boyden Cavern (24mi), Grizzly Falls (29mi), Roaring River Falls (36 mi), and Mist Falls near Road End (40mi).

Great trail, a bit intense if you are not in shape and prepared. Gorgeous area. Plan on going again.read more

Getting to Jennie Lake requires a 5 mi hike to Jennie Lake from the Fox Meadow trailhead. Many…read morebackpackers hike to Jennie Lake then camp there. You need a FREE campfire permit if you're staying there overnight available from the Hume Lake Ranger Station, but we just did a day hike. There is lots of climbing involved, you have to cross Poop Out Pass at 3.7 miles and I was dying to get to the lake cuz it felt like I had been hiking Forever. It's the highest point on the trip. The lake is at 9,000 ft and I could tell we were up high because of the headache I got. Took some aspirins then felt a bit better. The lake is nice, lots of small fishes that I couldn't see but they kept jumping out of the water I guess eating bugs. Had lunch there then turned back down the trail. Total miles 10 mi RT/6 hrs min. took us lots longer or 2 days if backpacking. Difficulty 3/5; views 10/10. website: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sequoia/

Weaver Lake is in the Jennie Lakes Wilderness and it's a nice lake. It's only 4.2 mi RT from the…read moreFox Meadow Trailhead and you can get a FREE campfire permit for overnight stays from the Hume Lake Ranger Station. Weaver Lake is the easiest-to-reach lake in the wilderness and nice day hike. Trail has good signs. You'll take a Left at .7 mi, then do a bit of climbing uphill. You'll see Shell Mountain and the lake is at the base of it. You can try fishing, sit by the lake, or go swimming. We were tough hikers and did this after Jennie Lake http://www.yelp.com/biz/U0c1xXRqQ4tVUAnAk0khlQ#hrid:Hq3uExwk4GhLqpUk_27j2w which made it a long hike (about 12.8 mi RT) but doable. website: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sequoia/

Beautiful glacier lake that is fine for swimming. Hike a little higher and refill your water…read morebottles with the glacier water

I don't understand what this obsession with hiking is, I mean how foolish right? But I'm so…read moreobsessed I can't stop. I just want to be out there all the time. Here's a place with some wonderful rangers that will help you realize your walking goals...super nice people, gorgeous area, iconic trail.

One of the best spots to start a High Sierra hike, easy 1.5hr drive from Fresno, right at the end…read moreof the road (no pun intended, it's rather aptly named). Ample parking, two pit toilets, and fresh drinking water to fill bottles. One of the main starting spots for doing the Big SEKI Loop, I believe they also have bear canister rentals (call ahead to confirm). Plenty of opportunities to access the river back down the road (west) before you arrive, or after your trip. starting the loop counter clockwise allows for a more mellow start, as clockwise necessitates a 6-7mi climb of approx 4000 vertical ft towards Granite Basin. However, climbing Bubbs Creek isn't exactly easy, nor is heading up Avalanche Pass, though at least there is a couple miles of flat prior to starting the climb. all in all, a solid 5 star spot, only leaving 4 b/c of the brutality of the climbs, haha! don't forget, though the ranger may say there is nowhere to leave notes (we were told this upon calling), there IS a bulletin board in the 24/7 open area of the ranger station, and you can also use backcountry ranger stations to send messages to others in your party if you are meeting someone partway through your trip (we were running one day behind, so used this option to let our party know when they picked up their permit that we'd be a day late meeting up). Nice option to have, but can also leave handwritten notes on the bulletin board if you know when you leave. Have fun and hike Bear Safe, as bear canisters are req'd most of the season.

Class 4 Kings River for the win! Went initially in 2011 then back again in 2013. Long time posting…read morebut absolutely recommend, worth the trip during rainy season. So much fun and respect for the river. Probably the best water activity that rivaled being on the Colorado river in the Grand Canyon.

We were lucky enough to get to go rafting during the 2019 high-water season which was unique…read morebecause many of the rapids were even better than normal. We took advantage of the whole experience Zephyr offers and camped the night before as well as doing the 2 day rafting experience. The King's River Base camp Zephyr has is an all inclusive experience depending on what options you choose to purchase from them. The staff cam provided everything including tents if needed so that you can focus on having fun rafting. Not only are the guides excellent at navigating the river and tailoring the experience to all levels they are amazing camp cooks too! If you have never been white water rafting before this is the perfect place to get your feet wet, and if you are experienced you will enjoy the ease of rafting with these folks! Thanks guys for such a fun relaxing trip!