Tenting World’s Information to RVing Sequoia Nationwide Park

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Sequoia Nationwide Park covers an expansive 1,300 sq. miles and is dwelling to Mount Whitney, the tallest peak within the decrease 48 of america. With roaring mountain rivers, granite peaks, an intensive backcountry, and signature Large Sequoia timber, Sequoia Nationwide Park brings in over one-million annual guests to expertise its magnificence. 

If you happen to’re on the lookout for the one place on the earth to really feel the immense energy of those storied timber, then fuel up your RV and hit the highway. However earlier than you do, right here’s what you might want to learn about RVing in Sequoia Nationwide Park.

Why Go to Sequoia Nationwide Park in an RV?

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Photograph by Virrage Pictures by way of Shutterstock

Have you ever ever wished to stroll amongst giants? California’s two-for-one nationwide park duo of Sequoia and Kings Canyon helps you to enterprise right into a land of otherworldly timber that nearly appear too grand to be actual. And with these giants rising solely inside a 60-mile space excessive within the Sierra Nevada mountains, it’s the one place you’ll have the ability to expertise their energy.

Sequoia Nationwide Park is well accessible in beneath 4 hours from Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Francisco, and might simply be looped right into a Nationwide Parks highway journey with Yosemite to the North or Demise Valley to the Southeast.

As a result of Sequoia and Kings Canyon Nationwide Parks are in shut proximity, having an RV on your go to to those parks lets you simply bounce forwards and backwards. You possibly can simply go from seeing Common Sherman Tree on the Sequoia facet of the park to the Zumwalt Meadow on the King’s Canyon facet on the identical day.

When to Go to Sequoia Nationwide Park

Sequoia Nationwide Park is open year-round, however seasonal closures can impression what’s and isn’t obtainable to guests throughout colder seasons. Because of this, summer season is often the height season for exploring the park. Nonetheless, there’s nonetheless a lot to do if you’re planning on visiting within the offseason.

Sequoia Nationwide Park within the Spring

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Photograph by NatalieJean by way of Shutterstock

Spring guests to Sequoia Nationwide Park ought to put together for winter-like circumstances and a few highway closures. So, ensure you’ve outfitted your RV with tire chains. You’ll have the ability to discover the large sequoia groves whereas nonetheless dusted in white snow, however at milder temperatures than winter within the Sierra Nevada vary. In mid-to-late spring, you’ll have the ability to get pleasure from wildflowers on show in most of the meadows of King’s Canyon.

Sequoia Nationwide Park within the Summer time

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Photograph by Wirestock Creators by way of Shutterstock

Summer time is the height time for Sequoia Nationwide Park, with the temperatures reaching delicate highs within the low to mid-70s and dipping all the way down to chilly evenings and early mornings within the mid-40s. Be ready that a few of the extra well-liked locations like Common Grant Tree, Common Sherman Tree, and Tunnel Log could have waits to get in for these iconic images. 

Sequoia Nationwide Park within the Fall

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Photograph by OldskoolDesign by way of Shutterstock

Fall provides related circumstances to the spring season, with season closures and early snows. You’ll commerce out the wildflower blooms for some fall foliage from a few of the park’s timber, but when the signature reds, oranges, and yellows of fall are what you might be on the lookout for, we advocate saving Sequoia for an additional time of yr and heading over to Acadia Nationwide Park for an autumn journey.

Sequoia Nationwide Park within the Winter

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Photograph by Eric Carlander by way of Shutterstock

Winter-loving adventurers can get pleasure from actions like cross-country snowboarding and snow exhibiting amongst Sequoia’s large groves within the winter months. Be ready for frequent highway closures and restrictions throughout this season as temperatures are likely to hover within the mid-30s through the day and get as little as the teenagers in a single day.

The place to Keep

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Potwisha Campground Photograph NPS

Between Sequoia and Kings Canyon, there are a complete of 9 RV-friendly campgrounds, however solely two of these are open year-round and solely Dorst Creek has designated RV-specific spots. 

Listed below are your in-park tenting choices:

Staying Outdoors the Park

staying-outside-guide-to-rving-sequoia-national-park-11-2022 Lemon Cove Village RV Park Photo by Good Sam
Lemon Cove Village RV Park Photograph by Good Sam

If you’re on the lookout for campgrounds with RV hookups close to the park, yow will discover a number of Good Sam parks inside a two-hour drive of the park entrance.

Put money into a Good Sam Membership and save 10% on nightly stays at Good Sam Campgrounds.

Suggestions on your Tenting Keep

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Dorst Creek Campground Photograph by NPS
  • Reservations might be made by Recreation.gov as much as one month earlier than your keep. 
  • Listed below are your hyperlinks to the reservation websites for the campgrounds above: 
  • Not one of the campgrounds have RV hookups, so make sure to prep your RV prior to creating your strategy to your campsite.
  • Every park campsite is supplied with a fireplace ring, picnic desk, and meals storage field. 
  • Verify the official map to see the place the campgrounds are situated throughout the park.
  • If you happen to convey a generator, working hours are from 9 am to 9 pm in most campgrounds. Dorst Creek and Lodgepole are the exceptions, the place the generator hours run from 8-11 am and 5-8 pm.
  • You’ll discover locations to dump your RV waste at Dorst Creek, Lodgepole, and Potwisha campgrounds.
  • Verify hearth restrictions earlier than your go to, even when tenting at increased elevations. Take into account bringing a propane firepit as an alternative of getting a wood-burning hearth. 

Tips on how to Get Round Sequoia Nationwide Park 

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Photograph by Wollertz by way of Shutterstock

Sequoia Nationwide Park covers a big space and is most accessible by automotive. All main sights might be discovered on paved roads, however due to seasonal snow, you’ll have to test the park service web site forward of time to make sure routes are open.

You possibly can enter the park from the south from Three Rivers or from the north by way of freeway 180. There’s one key factor to recollect as you intend which route to decide on when visiting Sequoia Nationwide Park. How lengthy is your car?

If you’re planning to enter from the south, the Nationwide Park Service recommends a most car size of twenty-two ft on Generals Freeway between Potwisha Campground and the Large Forest Museum. This path is just suited to compact class B RVs.

Do you have got an even bigger RV and nonetheless need to discover the park? No drawback. Are available in on Freeway 180 from Fresno, CA. Convey a smaller car on your day-to-day travels and also you’ll nonetheless have the ability to entry every thing Sequoia Nationwide Park has to supply.

There’s a free park shuttle that runs from Wuksachi Lodge to Large Forest Museum that’s sometimes open all through the summer season and over some holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas pending highway circumstances.

Locations to Go

With over 600 sq. miles to discover, there’s no scarcity of adventures for all accessibility ranges. Paved paths to landmarks just like the Generals Sherman and Grant timber enable each customer to expertise the park’s magic.

Backcountry passes to the John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails let seasoned backpackers enterprise into the lesser-visited areas of wilderness. Listed below are some websites to go to in Sequoia Nationwide Park.

Common Sherman Tree

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Photograph by zdenekkounovsky by way of Shutterstock

Standing as a sentinel for over an estimated 2,200 years, the Common Sherman Tree is the most important single-stemmed tree on the earth. Solely a brief half-mile stroll on a paved path, the Common Sherman Tree within the Large Forest sequoia grove permits explorers of all ages and health ranges to have the ability to expertise one of many pure wonders of the world.

Common Grant Tree

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Photograph by Mia2you by way of Shutterstock

Second solely to the Common Sherman Tree, Common Grant Tree is one other easily-accessible Sequoia large. Nicknamed the Nation’s Christmas Tree, yow will discover it alongside the paved 1/3-mile path in Grant Grove. Try Fallen Monarch when you’re there. It’s a hollowed-out large sequoia trunk you’ll be able to wander by to expertise how giant these timber are.

Large Forest Museum

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Photograph by Autumn’s Reminiscences by way of Shutterstock

When you’re on the Common Sherman Tree, make sure to cease within the Large Forest Museum. You’ll have the ability to dive into the historical past of the realm, the timber, and extra. You should definitely get your Nationwide Parks passport stamped by one of many rangers when you’re there.

Crystal Cave

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Photograph by travelview by way of Shutterstock

Uncover what’s beneath the mountain surroundings by getting into Crystal Cave. Discover a half-mile of the marble cavern on this guided tour. As a result of the cave is well-liked, purchase your tickets forward of time and plan for a couple of half-day journey, together with drive time. The hike to the cave entrance is steep and might be difficult for some guests.

Zumwalt Meadow in Cedar Grove

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Photograph by Benny Marty by way of Shutterstock

Nestled in a extra distant a part of the park, Zumwalt Meadow is a peaceable place to soak up the encircling Sierra Nevada peaks. Take one of many facet trails and enterprise alongside Kings River and Roaring River Falls. Verify highway closures earlier than you go, as Freeway 180 into Cedar Grove is just open from Could via October. 

Boyden Cavern

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Photograph by Boyden Cavern

Needed to do a Crystal Cave tour however missed out on getting tickets? Boyden Cavern is equally worthy of exploration. This one is technically within the Sequoia Nationwide Forest between the 2 parks, however you’ll move it on the best way into Kings Canyon alongside Freeway 180. 

The stroll as much as the cave entrance is steep, however the remainder of this guided tour could be very accessible. You’ll even get to expertise a complete blackout as guides flip off all lights permitting you to expertise the identical darkness its first explorers did.

Issues to Do in Sequoia Nationwide Park

Whether or not you’re an lively or passive explorer, this two-for-one park has every thing from sightseeing to mountain climbing to mountain climbing and extra. 

Climbing

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Photograph by Checubus by way of Shutterstock

There are greater than 100 maintained trails all through the park, with elevation modifications starting from beneath 10 ft to over 18,000 ft. Among the extra well-liked trails embrace:

  • Moro Rock Path (0.5 mi)
  • Tokopah Falls Path (3.8 mi)
  • Congress Path (2.9 mi)
  • Marble Falls Path (7.8 mi)
  • Lakes Path (11.6 mi)

Fishing

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Photograph by Kirke Wrench by way of NPS

A number of mountain streams run by Sequoia and Kings Canyon making these nationwide parks nice spots to fish. There may be quite a lot of river trout that anglers can attempt to catch, however remember that you will have a fishing license for anybody 16 years or older.

Backpacking

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Photograph by Sebastian Burel by way of Shutterstock

Discover greater than 800 miles of maintained backcountry trails on a multi-day backpacking journey, for which you’ll want a Wilderness Allow. Plan forward, as there are restricted park providers when you step into the wild. Come outfitted along with your gear, meals, and bear-safe storage. You possibly can reserve permits as much as six months upfront throughout quota seasons.

Birdwatching

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Photograph by sergioboccardo by way of Shutterstock

Greater than 200 species of birds name the Sierra Nevada mountains dwelling or make their manner by seasonally. Seize your binoculars and print out this guidelines from the Nationwide Park Service and see what number of yow will discover.

Rock Climbing

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Photograph by Daniel Jeffcoach by way of NPS

Get a special viewpoint scaling the cliff faces all through the park. Although not as well-known as climbs like El Cap in Yosemite, each Sequoia and Kings Canyon have an abundance of granite mountains good for climbers of all abilities.

What to Convey and Tips on how to Put together

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Photograph by Greg and Jan Ritchie by way of Shutterstock

As a result of not one of the campgrounds in Sequoia Nationwide Park have RV hookups and there are only some dump stations, be ready for an off-grid expertise.

  • Meals & Drink: There are seven eating places in or close to the park. If you happen to want a resupply, top off your tenting cooler at a normal retailer in Three Rivers or Hume Lake. If you happen to’re on the lookout for a cooler, try RV.com’s evaluation of the YETI Roadie 48.
  • Wildlife Deterrents: Bears are native to the park, so guarantee all meals is saved safely away when unattended. Campsites have bear containers however convey extra meals storage for an prolonged keep. If you happen to hit the paths, it’s all the time advisable that you’ve got bear spray on your security.
  • Moveable Energy Station: As a result of the park doesn’t have electrical hookups, a conveyable energy station is a superb addition to your tenting setup. Try RV.com’s evaluation of the BioLite BaseCharge 1500 Moveable Energy Station.
  • Climbing Gear: Whereas most of the park’s most visited areas are paved, preserve mountain climbing gear available to simply discover the park’s trails. Sturdy boots defend your ft, water sneakers are a should for creek crossings, and trekking poles present steadiness on uneven terrain. If you’re planning on doing a hike longer than 1 mile, convey alongside a hydration pack with water to make sure you keep hydrated.
  • Further Layers: Even when visiting in the summertime, Sequoia and Kings Canyon can each get chilly in a single day and within the early mornings. Gentle layers will assist you to keep heat through the chillier occasions and mean you can regulate as issues heat up all through the day.
  • Turbines: You’re by yourself with the ability you present, so that you might be as superior or primitive as you want. It’s all the time good to have a generator as a backup only for emergencies. 
  • Further Gas: There aren’t any service stations throughout the park, however you’ll be able to replenish a moveable fuel can in close by cities like Three Rivers and Hume Lake.

Transient Historical past of Sequoia Nationwide Park

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Photograph by NPS

The Sierra Nevada Mountains have been dwelling to indigenous nations since lengthy earlier than America was based. A lot of their descendants stay stewards of the land as we speak. 

Sequoia is america’ second formally designated nationwide park and gained its standing on September 25, 1890, due to President Benjamin Harrison. It was the primary park solely devoted to defending a dwelling organism, the park’s namesake the Large Sequoia. 

In 1940, Kings Canyon was added to the record of nationwide parks by Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the 2 parks stay linked and maintained collectively. Over 95% of the park is classed as wilderness, which means there are restricted sources, providers, and maintained trails.

However the wilderness nonetheless sees tons of of hikers annually alongside the John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails. Skilled hikers come from throughout to summit the very best peak within the contiguous 48 states, Mt. Whitney, which stands at 14,505 ft.

The parks invite over a million annual guests to stroll amongst giants which have been standing as guardians of the Excessive Sierras for over 2,000 years. And also you and your RV are on the visitor record to hitch them.


Plan your subsequent journey to the nationwide parks in an RV. Hire an RV, trade-in your RV, or purchase a brand new or used RV and begin touring for lower than $5 a day.

Have you ever ever visited Sequoia Nationwide Park? Share your recommendation within the feedback under!



A Louisiana native turned Arizona desert dweller, Claire Braud has all the time liked exploring the world’s pure locations. Upon transferring to Phoenix, she turned an avid hiker within the surrounding mountains and takes full benefit of the town’s proximity to the western Nationwide Parks. In 2021, Claire and her husband launched into a honeymoon highway journey visiting six nationwide parks and a number of state parks and monuments. When she’s not on the paths, Claire works full-time at a inventive company as a person expertise content material strategist utilizing storytelling to assist her shoppers higher join with their prospects.



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