Kings Canyon Scenic Byway (Highway 180) presents easy access to some of the wildest and most spectacular terrain in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Gushing waterfalls, lush meadows and a road clinging to the side of a rock face make this a one of a kind drive.
Photograph the largest Sequoia grove in the world.
Only a few people visit the largest grove of giant sequoias in the world, despite its location in Kings Canyon, one of California’s most visited National Parks. The park service does not promote its location as it does nearby Grant Grove. The entrance is easy to miss and the unpaved dirt trail leading down the steep canyon road does not look inviting. No wonder most people drive past this grove, not even acknowledging its existence.
Discover a secret place in between two of the most visited National Parks in California.
In my capacity as Photo Scout, I get to take many detours. Not many are as rewarding as Buck Rock Fire Lookout. Sitting on top of an unbelievably steep granite spire, Buck Rock is as vertiginous as it is beautiful.
Kings Canyon lures visitors with the largest living beings on the planet in pristine wilderness. Many trails in the park are mostly empty, despite the crowds rushing through Kings Canyon every day. Most tourists simply do not plan enough time to see the vast Sequoia and Kings Canyon Double Park, hurrying from sight to sight as the park map tells them. Fortunately, some of the best sights are not marked, leaving them empty and ready for your exploration.
Visiting a State Park consisting mostly of trees may be a hard sell to your fellow travelers, but well worth the struggle. Calaveras Big Tree State Park is host to some of the largest specimen of Sequoia, the world’s biggest trees. Its location off Highway 4, far away from the usual tourist routes, makes this park even more interesting. During the peak travel season, it is thus a better idea to see Calaveras Big Tree SP and scratch Sequoia National Park from your itinerary.
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