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06-25-2021, 12:54 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Name: Alex
Trailer: 1999 Casita 16' "Snufkin"
California
Posts: 101
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Camping in Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks
Hello everyone,
We are going on a 2 week camping trip to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National parks. Does anyone have any specific suggestions or recommendations of what to do there? Have a couple of smaller children (8 and 4), so if anyone went with small kids and they really liked something, this perspective would be much appreciated.
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06-25-2021, 03:19 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Name: M
Trailer: Formerly Scamp
Oregon
Posts: 296
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kings canyon/sequoia NP
I used to live/work at Kings Canyon NP many, many years ago. The most important thing to consider this year is getting a campground reservation...and the parks may have limited access. You MUST have campground reservations ( www.Recreation.gov.) in advance, and it's best to pay entrance fee in advance too to avoid long lines at the entrance station.
This is an unusually hot summer, so it will be hot there - check the weather report.
There are lots of trails; the kids will enjoy the General Grant Tree trail - there's a downed Sequoia log that you can walk thru - kids love it.
There are wonderful horseback trail rides in Kings Canyon https://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/horseride.htm
Trout Fishing in the Kings River.
This website provides some good ideas: https://www.adventuringbeyond.com/ki...ark-with-kids/
Caution: Down in Kings Canyon itself, there are rattlesnakes in rocky areas along the river, so just be cautious.
This is black bear country. Campgrounds have food storage lockers - use them. Never leave food/wrappers out. or dirty dishes. Keep car windows closed at night and doors locked in case your car smells like food inside. Bears can be adept in opening unlocked doors.
Please read this NPS advisory: https://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/conditions.htm
Enjoy the parks.
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06-25-2021, 08:15 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Name: Alex
Trailer: 1999 Casita 16' "Snufkin"
California
Posts: 101
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Thanks for advice! We made reservations back in February
One of campgrounds won't have any water because of drought, so we'll need to take a few jugs for that one, but we'll be there just for 2 days.
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06-25-2021, 09:08 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Trailer: Scamp 13 ft
Posts: 454
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Suggerstion :
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alex in LA
Hello everyone,
We are going on a 2 week camping trip to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National parks. Does anyone have any specific suggestions or recommendations of what to do there? Have a couple of smaller children (8 and 4), so if anyone went with small kids and they really liked something, this perspective would be much appreciated.
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________________________________________
Whether it be Sequoia/Kings Canyon or nearby Yosemite, my first suggestion is keep the kids out of the water whether it be streams or rivers. Even in today's drought, some streams are extremely cold and swift. People die every year in streams and rushing rivers and just looking over waterfalls. Lots of hiking trails, different visitor's centers, restaurants, ranger talks, Morro Rock and Boyden cave, in Sequoia N Park, and Crescent meadow. If you go in through Fresno (easier), you can exit through the steep south exit to Visalia. There is camping at that Exit also., and a visitor's center. The trip to the bottom of Kings Canyon is also interesting, with hiking ( and dangerous water) there also. David in Fresno and Sonora, CA.
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06-26-2021, 08:35 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Name: Myron
Trailer: Escape
New Mexico
Posts: 987
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You could walk on a tree.
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06-26-2021, 02:08 PM
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#6
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Junior Member
Name: John
Trailer: 87 13'Scamp Deluxe
Nevada
Posts: 20
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You love it!! I used to manage the Cedar Grove store, hotel & gas station/showers. My wife and I were married on Muir's Pulpit; which is an excellent place to cool down. Its at the end of the road; which is where a lot of the trails start off.
Have a GREAT TIME!!
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06-28-2021, 02:02 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Name: Alex
Trailer: 1999 Casita 16' "Snufkin"
California
Posts: 101
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Thanks for the warning about snakes and cold streams! We will be camping on 2 different lakes, so hopefully water won't be as cold. Looks like some days will reach to almost a 100 degrees!
We plan to enter and re-enter Kings Canyon (the campground is short distance outside the entrance). Hopefully won't have to sit in long lines each time
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07-03-2021, 10:47 AM
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#8
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Junior Member
Name: Ross
Trailer: Escape
CA
Posts: 2
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Hume lake is right between both parks. Neat place to spend a day or three.
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07-03-2021, 12:03 PM
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#9
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Junior Member
Name: Frank
Trailer: In the market
New Mexico
Posts: 15
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Camping in Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks
Don't miss swimming in Hume lake, the water is full of gold flecks from the pyrite deposits in the river that feeds the lake.
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07-04-2021, 12:01 AM
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#10
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Junior Member
Name: mark
Trailer: in the market
California
Posts: 2
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Three things
Go all the way to the end of the road in Kings Canyon and stay in that campground. Don’t bother staying in the main campground in Sequoia. It’s too tightly packed. camp up higher in the small campgrounds in the actual forest.
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07-04-2021, 06:42 PM
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#11
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Member
Name: Peter
Trailer: Casita
Oregon
Posts: 32
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Sequoia-Kings
Nice to see so many experienced voices offer advice. I myself was a ranger in those parks for ten years.
I would modify some of the advice as follows; definitely get in the water if you know what you are doing. Stay out if you don't. It is perfectly safe if you know what you are doing but statistically it is the most lethal visitor activity.
Two days isn't much time. The peace and quiet of the Sequoia groves is magical and captures appreciation of all ages. The short trek to the top of Moro Rock may plant wandering-climbing seeds that won't sprout for ten years...you never know.
Trailering up from the south (Kaweah) often results in overheating and going out that way requires attention and low gears. The road, however, is not dangerous if you are careful.
Bears are not a problem if you practice good housekeeping and listen to the advice of the rangers. They have no interest or desire in hurting people. They do enjoy an easy meal and feeding or chumming a bear can lead to it having to be trapped, relocated, or worse.
In the summer, the higher you can go the more pleasant it gets and the greater the likelihood for some flowers. Have a wonderful stay.
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07-27-2021, 01:14 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Name: Alex
Trailer: 1999 Casita 16' "Snufkin"
California
Posts: 101
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There and back again
Thanks for your advice, everyone!
We are back and had a great trip, although we cut it a bit short due to overbearing heat - but we lucked out and snagged a camping spot on Pismo Beach on the way back, so it was great
The highlight of the trip was Hume Lake - a wonderful destination if you are looking for a great lake vacation: warm water (I mean really warm), sandy beaches, shade, beautiful setting, fishing, boating (no gas engines), you name it. We saw a bald eagle - didn't know they live so far south! A special favorite was to watch bats hunt mosquitoes from the surface of the lake in a twilight.
There is a large Christian camp on the lake with lots and lots of kids having the time of their lives, but the lake is large enough for everyone to enjoy. We did hear their evening music, though, so it's definitely not a "I am alone on this mountain" type place. But it was a great lake vacation and I met quite a few people who keep coming there year after year.
Kings Canyon is majestic and very accessible for those with mobility issues - highway 180 goes all the way along the canyon and provides breathtaking views right out of the window! Boyern Cavern was a great stop and also very doable for all ages - my 4 yo daughter loved it so much, she wanted to go right back in when we came out
But ultimately heat got to us and the fact that there are no public showers in both Kings and Sequoia did not help! By a draw of luck we got a camping spot on Pismo Beach and in 4 hours we went from 105F to 68F - niiiiiice!
It was also great to be able to make a camping fire there and it made a great conclusion to this very memorable trip!
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07-27-2021, 02:28 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Name: Mike
Trailer: Escape 21 & Jeep GC 5.7 (Previous 2012 Casita FD17 & 2010 Audi Q5)
Puget Sound, WA
Posts: 1,775
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Those are great ages for the kids to travel, their imaginations can really take hold when you're seeing mountains and caves and beaches and all.
And, I'm glad to hear that you didn't have to outrun them out there in bear country.
__________________
~ “It’s absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious.” Oscar Wilde ~
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07-27-2021, 04:34 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Name: Alex
Trailer: 1999 Casita 16' "Snufkin"
California
Posts: 101
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Thanks, Civilguy!
The possibility of meeting a bear was very real at our first stop on lake Edison - talk about remote! But at Lake Hume - not so much. At least it FELT safe.
But yes, running from bear in a 100 degree weather is something we did not regret missing
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