Kings Canyon National Park: Too hot to Handle

Blog post by: Korin

     We left Sequoia National Park and headed to her sister park, Kings Canyon National Park for three nights and four days. Most people lump these two parks into one but I’m glad we made time for both as they are quite different. Our first stop in Kings Canyon was Grants Grove, where we walked through the sequoia grove and saw the General Grant tree which is the third largest tree in the world. We enjoyed the short walk among the giant sequoias and then headed down into the canyon section of Kings Canyon, to an area called Cedar Grove. Driving down the canyon road was a bit nerve wracking because of the sharp turns and narrow passes, but the views were absolutely spectacular. We pulled into our site at Sentinel Campground and quickly realized that the California heat wave was in full force (the temperature was over 100 degrees) meaning it was too hot to hike. After setting up camp, we found a popular swimming hole called Muir Rock and we were able to cool off in the very cold water. Eli and Matt had a great time jumping off the rocks and we all relaxed while looking up at the magnificent canyon walls.

            The next morning, we set off towards the Roads End Permit Station to hike to Mist Falls, one of the most highly rated hikes in the park. To beat the heat and crowds we were on the trail by 6:15am. The hike was a nice combination of walking through trees and rock scrambling to reach the waterfall however, the bugs were tough (particularly the mosquitos). On the way back, the temperature was climbing but the bugs were more manageable. The ranger told us that there were a lot of snakes out and sure enough, Matt spotted a rattlesnake just off the trail! The 8-mile hike tired us all out and after eating lunch at the trailer, we headed back to the swimming hole. While at Muir Rock, a mother bear and her two cubs came down to the water. The cubs were adorable and it was such a treat to watch them run behind their mom. This was by far the closest I have been to a mama bear and her cubs!

            On our final day at Kings Canyon, we did a few shorter hikes early in the morning. First, we hiked Zumwalt Meadow, which is a 1 ½ mile, flat out and back hike. Early into the hike we spotted a deer with two very young fawns! Matt fished from the river and caught a few trout. Next, we headed to the Roaring River Falls trail which is a short roadside hike to a powerful waterfall. Matt caught a few more fish and we continued on our way. We drove just outside the park to Grizzly Bear Falls. There wasn’t very much water coming down from this waterfall but it was still beautiful. Up the road was Boyden Cavern, and we decided to beat the heat and take a tour. The tour was interesting and the temperature inside was 55 degrees–  Perfect! After eating lunch back at the campsite, we once again headed to Muir Rock to swim, rock jump, and ice our muscles in the cold water. We weren’t there long before an intense thunderstorm started and we headed for camp. The rain was a nice change and certainly cooled the area down quickly.

            Overall, the beauty of Kings Canyon National Park was breathtaking. The wildlife was abundant as we saw black bears and cubs, deer and fawns, a rattlesnake and many different types of birds. When you visit, don’t just stop at Grants Grove. Instead, take time to drive the long winding road into the bottom of the canyon to enjoy the trails, animals, Kings River and the vast Canyon walls.