Visiting Sequoia & Kings Canyon in the Winter
- DavidMarcusFilms
- Sep 21, 2022
- 12 min read
Home to the largest trees on earth, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park are incredible destinations year round. While the warmer months have plenty to offer, it’s the winter that is guaranteed to blow your mind. Just stop what you’re doing and take a look at these photos after a fresh snowfall in February!
Are you convinced yet?
Winter in Sequoia Quick Tips
The Congress Trail is a must!
Pack your telephoto lens
All vehicles are required to carry tire chains, even 4x4 and AWD vehicles
Check road conditions and closures before setting out
The trails may be icy. Microspikes are a lifesaver!
Two Parks For The Price Of One The Sequoia and Kings Canyon are jointly managed by the park service so you’ll often hear them mentioned in the same sentence. Pay for one park and you can drive freely between them both. However the connecting road, Generals Highway, crosses through National Forest land and is NOT maintained in the winter. So there is a chance that the Generals Highway may be closed if there is a heavy snowfall.
You can still access both parks, but may just have to drive an extra 2 hours around to the other park entrance, as opposed to cutting through the National Forest - so check road conditions and plan accordingly. Your game plan should be to hit one park, then the other, preferably over at least two separate days.
Top 4 Reasons Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park Visit in the Winter
The Experience. Strolling through groves of the largest trees on the planet as fresh, untouched snow gently covers the forest floor is so much more than a beautiful view… it’s an experience. The gentle breeze quietly passing through the branches of ancient trees. The sweet ‘crunch’ of your footsteps in the snow. It elicits a powerful emotion and a connection with the natural world in ways we can’t begin to describe.
The Views. As photographers, we love working with snow. It creates a romantic image of the natural world, untouched by man. By covering the messy forest floor of leaves, dirt, bushes, sticks, and rocks with a flat white blanket, it allows for a stark contrasty image, where the giant sequoias stand alone. The scars left from hundreds of years of fires create eerily-beautiful texture.
Alone Time. OK, you’re not technically there alone, but it’s a fraction of the crowds you’ll see during peak visiting seasons. On the highly recommended General Sherman and Congress Trail, for example, as soon as you pass the paved walking path, the forest is yours. Sure, the small parking lot may fill up, but never underestimate how much people only want to check off the top sites and move on.
Snow Sports Have you tried snowshoeing? It’s actually kind of awesome. Snowshoe or cross country ski across many areas of the parks for a one-of-a-kind experience. Here with family? Check out the snow play areas, great for sledding or snowman building. There is a ranger-led snowshoe tour on certain days, and snowshoes may be available for rent on a first-come first-served basis. Grab a wilderness permit and embark on an overnight trip. If you’re up for it - Pear Lake Winter Hut is a heated cabin 6 miles from Wolverton Meadow. (Reservations are hard to come by and are $50 per camper. More details here.)
Disclaimer: Snow Not Guaranteed
Let’s just get this out of the way now. Weather is unpredictable and changes every year. We visited mid February 2020 to find only patches of snow here and there. We then returned a mere 2 weeks later and had an entirely different experience after 3-4 inches came down. Bottom line - keep an eye on the weather and try to plan accordingly. If there’s no snow… well, another reason to visit again in the future!
Where Is Sequoia and Kings Canyon Located?
About 4 hours northeast of LA, 4 hours southeast of San Francisco, and 2 ½ hours south of Yosemite National Park. These giant gems are located on the west side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, AKA the “Great Western Divide” (or as we like to think of them, that giant green part of the map that covers half of California).
MAP
Keep in mind the Sierra Nevada mountain range is massive and unpassable from the east side. You can see that it’s just as long to drive from Lone Pine right next door, than all the way from San Francisco!
Winter Hikes:
Sequoia groves, meadows, creeks, and granite peaks - there are plenty of winter trails for any athletic level. Here are some of our favorites.
General Sherman Tree
.5 mile - Easy
In the land of giants, General Sherman wears the crown. This is the largest tree in the world, by volume. And conveniently, one of the easiest to access. A quick walk from the small winter parking lot makes it the most popular spot in the park. Wait in line, “ooh” and “ahh”, and take your photo. But don’t make the same mistake most people do and head back to your vehicle! Do yourself a favor, and continue onto the Congress Trail.
Fun fact: For a 6 foot tall person, looking at General Sherman is about the equivalent of a mouse looking up at a 6 foot tall human!
A note about parking:
The main parking area off Wolverton Road, that usually accesses the General Sherman Tree and Congress Trail, is closed after the first snowfall. In the winter, a small lot (usually handicapped-only parking during the summer months) is open to all during the winter. Located right off Generals Highway, you can’t miss it. Best to get there early or wait patiently for a spot. Don’t fret, most only spend about 10 minutes gazing at the Sherman Tree before leaving.
Congress Trail
2 mile (3.2 km) loop - Easy
This is our absolute favorite trail in the park, and a must for any winter visit. It’s a 2-mile loop that starts near the General Sherman Tree, and takes you past some of the most magical little groves in the Giant Forest. The Senate and The House Groves are seriously jaw-dropping and in our opinion, the most impressive corners of this park.
Depending on how much snow has fallen, snowshoes or microspikes will be needed. The trail can get rather icy at times, so though the actual trail isn’t very difficult, please use caution during the winter.
The Big Trees Trail
.75 mile (1 km) loop - Easy
This trail circles Round Meadow and offers some seriously beautiful views across a big snowy open field. This is marked as a family-friendly trail, so we skipped it during our first few visits of the park in search of longer hikes. Big mistake! We were truly impressed by some of the snowy images we captured here, and so happy we finally ventured this short loop.
During the winter, the small handicapped-only parking lot near the trailhead is open to all. If the small lot is full, park a quarter-mile away near the Giant Forest Museum and follow the paved, accessible trail from there.
Giant Forest to Crescent Meadow Loop (via Alta Trail)
8 miles roundtrip - Moderate
If you’re looking for a longer day hike through Giant Sequoias, this is a good one! During the winter months, Moro Rock/Crescent Meadow Road is closed to vehicles - but not to foot traffic! This road becomes a great trail to ski or snowshoe (if it’s been a warmer winter, you can simply walk, like we did). Starting from the Giant Forest Museum, ski/snowshoe/hike up the road, passing under the famous Tunnel Log.
Continue to the end of the 3 mile road and follow the Crescent Meadow Trail through this lesser-traveled section of the Forest. The snow really accumulates here in the meadows, so be careful! One area looked normal, turns out the snow was up to our waists! You will eventually intersect with the Alta Trail, which will lead back to the Giant Forest Museum. Plan 4-5 hours for the hike.
Beetle Rock
.2 miles - Easy
Not really a hike, but a killer spot to watch the sunset during the winter! Since Moro Rock is dangerous to access after it snows, Beetle Rock is a great and easy alternative. Park at the Giant Forest Museum Parking Area.
General Grant Tree Trail
.3 miles - Easy
A short and accessible loop to the 2nd largest tree in the world by volume. It actually stands taller than General Sherman, though not as wide.
Panoramic Point
5 miles roundtrip - Moderate
The road to Panoramic Point from Grant Grove Village closes after the first snowfall. But this great sunset viewpoint can still be accessed with a 5 mile hike/snowshoe along the road. The road to the viewpoint has about 900 feet of elevation gain. Be sure to bring headlamps to hike back in the dark after sunset and allow at least 2 hours for the trip.
Other trails to check out:
Tokopah Falls: 1.7 miles (2.7 km) - Moderate
Mount Baldy: - Moderate
Hume Lake: 2.8 mile loop (km) - Easy
Sequoia Photography Tips:
Location
Get away from the crowds. The further away you venture from the parking lot, the fewer and fewer footsteps you’ll see, until finally, you find a fresh, untouched patch of snow around a gorgeous grove. While many trees are labeled, like “The President” and “The House”, our favorite trees to photograph sit alone. No “Hi My Name is” sticker necessary.
Angles
Look for dynamic angles. Don’t just shoot General Sherman from waist high on a normal lens like every other tourist. Get high. Get low. Try a wide angle close up. Try telephoto from further back. And most important, venture out there and find your own magic part of the forest to photograph. Look for fallen trees too. We’re used to seeing trees standing, but seeing a giant sequoia sprawled across the floor makes for a whole new perspective.
Lenses
Shooting with a normal or a telephoto lens (50mm+) is our favorite way to capture these giants. It compresses space, making the trees appear even thicker and closer together. Put a human subject in there and he looks tiny, but still close to the trees around him.
Most people immediately grab a wide angle lens because they want to fit the entire tree in frame. While you can still capture beautiful Sequoia images with a wide lens, they make everything feel a little further away. While the trees appear taller, they also appear less wide and less impactful.
Time of Day
Try shooting at different times of day. In general, side lighting is always more dynamic than overhead. That means the first few hours of the day, and the last few. Who doesn’t love lens flares? Also, the contrast of sunlight hitting one side of the trees, creating dark shadows on the other makes for powerful imagery.
Lighting
Having trouble getting exposure on a sunny day? That’s often the case when shooting in a forest. The sky is almost always blown out when compared with the canopy of shade under the trees. So your options are:
A) Don’t shoot the sky.
B) Accept that the sky is blown out.
C) Set it on a tripod and shoot an HDR.
Usually we stick with option A. By cropping out the sky, you can cut out the overblown portion of the image, and focus instead on the subject of the frame. NOT seeing the top of the trees makes them feel even larger. It makes the viewers use their imagination.
Overcast day? Not feeling inspired? Try black and white! The dark fire-scarred bark against the clean white snow is itching to be captured in black and white.
Sunset Spots:
For sunset, you may get lucky with a warm golden hour glow peaking through the forest - but our favorite spots for sunset in the winter are the EPIC viewpoints. Beetle Rock in Sequoia or Panoramic Point in Kings Canyon. And if the trail is open and not icy, Moro Rock in Sequoia is a wonderful classic! These spots are a lot less busy compared to summer months and you can usually never go wrong with an expansive, vast viewpoint.
Cell Reception & Wifi:
Due to Sequoia’s remote location, cell reception is extremely limited/non-existent throughout most of the park. But there is free, fast public wifi available at the Foothills Visitor Center (near the Sequoia entrance) and Kings Canyon Visitor Center. No password is needed.
Wifi is also available in the common areas of Wuksachi and John Muir Lodges, which both have cosy cabin lounges.
Kings Canyon, however, has MUCH better service than Sequoia. We had full bars of Verizon 4G LTE cell reception in Grant Grove Village and the surrounding area.
Getting Around in the Winter:
The Sequoia trees in the winter are truly magical. But getting to them can be quite the adventure in itself. When planning a trip to see these giants in the snow - expect ice on the winding mountain roads. Allow plenty of time to get around, and slow down! Make sure you and your vehicle are prepared for winter in the high elevation of this National Park.
Road closures
Rule #1: Always check the Park’s Official website before venturing to Sequoia National Park in the winter. Or you can call the 24-hour recorded road hotline for the most current information: (559) 565-3341, then press 1, then 1 again.
Generals Highway between parks:
Between Sequoia’s Wuksachi Lodge and Grant Grove’s Highway 180 is the Sequoia National Forest. This road is not operated by the National Parks, and thus isn’t plowed between January and mid-March. The road may be open only if there is no snow.
If the road is closed, you will have to drive two-hours outside and around the parks to reach the other park. Bummer.
INSERT MAP
Closed Sequoia Roads:
General Sherman’s Main Parking via Wolverton Road closes with the first snowfall. To visit General Sherman in the winter, you park in a small lot located right off Generals Highway (usually reserved for handicapped parking during the summer). Parking is limited in this small lot, but people are constantly coming and going.
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Moro Rock/Crescent Meadow Road is closed from the first snowfall through late May, conditions permitting. Moro Rock is usually dangerous and not accessible in the winter because of ice on the stairs, but the Auto Log and Crescent Meadow can still be accessed by hiking/skiing/snowshoeing along the closed road (see Winter Hikes for more detail).
Other roads closed in winter: Crystal Cave Road, Mineral King Road and Middle Fork.
Closed Kings Canyon Roads:
Highway 180 after Hume Lake, which accesses Cedar Grove, is closed from the first snowfall through April, conditions permitting.
Panoramic Point Road is closed from the first snowfall through late May. Panoramic Point can still be accessed by a 5 mile round-trip hike/snowshoe along the closed road (see Winter Hikes for more detail).
Other roads closed in winter: Redwood Mountain, Big Meadows, Quail Flat/Ten Mile roads, Converse Basin and Cherry Gap.
Tire chains
Tire chains or cables are a travel essential when visiting these parks in the winter. All vehicles are required to carry tire chains/cables when Chain Control is in effect, even 4WD and AWD vehicles. Rangers check cars before entering through the park gates for chain or snow tires. Be sure to check road conditions before venturing to the parks.
There are three levels of Chain Control
R1: Snow tires or chains are required Snow tires must have an imprint on the tire's sidewall that shows M + S, M / S, or an image of a snowflake. Otherwise, you must install chains.
R2: 4-wheel drive or chains are required Your vehicle must be in 4x4 (or all-wheel drive) with snow tires. Otherwise, you must install chains.
R3: Chains are required on all vehicles There are no exceptions.
You can rent or buy chains in a nearby town before getting to the park. There are a few locations outside the park entrances that sell or rent tire chains. They have signs outfront that say “buy chains here”... you can’t miss them.
And obviously - learn how to put them on! Some may come with instructions. If not, visit the company’s website and make screen captures or write down the steps (internet is non-existent once you enter the park). It’s not that hard once you understand how it works… but it can be very confusing when you first open the bag.
Winter Campgrounds
Roadside camping is not permitted in Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks, as well as in parking lots and trailheads. You risk the possibility of a steep fine. If you want to camp within the National Park, camp only in designated campgrounds. There are three campgrounds open year-round within the park.
Potwisha Campground is located near the southern entrance and the Foothills Visitor Center. Cost $22 per night and can be reserved on recreation.gov.
Azalea Campground is located near Grant Grove. Cost $18 per night and is available on a first come, first served basis.
South Fork is a remote first come, first served campground. It costs $6 per night, and can be accessed down a rough 13 mile dirt road in the Foothills.
Free Camping
Finding free camping around Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park is a little tricky in the winter, being that most of the forest roads are unplowed in the winter. But if it’s been a warmer season, some roads may still be accessible.
If Generals Highway between Sequoia and Kings Canyon is open, there is a small sliver of Sequoia National Forest between the two parks. There are a few roads and pull outs along the highway that may be accessible in warmer winters. You are permitted to camp here unless posted otherwise, just make sure you have left the official National Park and see a sign for the National Forest.
Sequoia National Forest also extends north of King’s Canyon Grant Grove, along Highway 180, which offers some additional free camping sites.
* Fires are prohibited unless you obtain a free fire permit either online or at a Visitor Center.
Winter Gear:
We swear by these!! They slip right over your hiking boots and give great traction in snow or ice. We even use the mircospikes hiking across glaciers and they literally saved our life. They are in our hiking pack all winter long!
Poles are game-changers in all seasons. But they certainly help with balance in deep snow and icy trails.
You can usually find snowshoes for rent near the National Parks, but if you expect to do a lot of winter hiking, it may be smart to invest in a decent set. MSR is a great company and we like they because they are easy to put on and provide great traction, even uphill.
Safety:
Winter Hiking
Do not head into the woods or out of sight of trails, unless you are prepared for winter travel. Conditions can change quickly. Always be prepared.
We recommend bringing at least a pair of microspikes on every winter hike.
Bears
Bears can still be active in the winter. Do not leave food unattended or visible in vehicles. Proper food storage when in Sequoia Kings Canyon is key to keeping both humans and bears safe.
Additional Resources
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