Sequoia National Park is home to 5 of the 10 largest trees in the world, the Giant Sequoia trees. It is also the place to go to see black bears, gorgeous meadows and groves of Giant Sequoia Trees. Before you go check out this Quick Travel Guide to Sequoia National Park.
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Things to See in Sequoia National Park
There is a shuttle bus running through this National Park, however most visitors come using their own motor cars a.k.a. California Road Trip. Entrance to the park is not expensive, you can pay by the carload. Here are our Top 5 things to do in Sequoia National Park:
Giant Forest: Sequoia National Park is home to the General Sherman Tree, the worlds largest tree measured by volume. The General Sherman Tree stands 275 feet (83m) tall, and over 36 feet (11m) in diameter.
Crescent Meadow: The trail around crescent meadow is a fairly easy 1.6 mile hike, suitable for children, elderly, and those who just don’t like hard walks or steep grades. Along the way be sure check out Tharp’s Log, a hollowed out Sequioa tree where Mr. Tharp lived from 1860.
Auto Log: The Auto Log fell down in 1917. After the tree fell, park authorities encouraged visitors to drive their cars onto the trunk. It is now closed for safety reasons due to the decay of the tree.
Tunnel Log: This is the Drive Through Giant Sequioa. The tunnel log tree fell in 1934, and was over 2,000 years old. To get to tunnel log follow the Crescent Meadow road.
Bear Spotting: Black bears live in Sequioa National Park. American Black Bears have a misleading name, because they may be black, brown, cinnamon or blonde in color. Meadows are a great place to spot bears in Sequioa National Park, especially in Spring. In fall you might see bears high in oak trees getting fat on acorns.
Day Trips from Sequoia National Park
Being in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the best local attractions are also mountainous National Parks. Here are the best 2:
Kings Canyon National Park: Kings Canyon shares a border with Sequoia National Park, so all the same recommendations apply. It is probably one of the least known of the Californian National Parks, but don’t let that fool you.
Yosemite National Park: Yosemite is a UNESCO World Heritage site, so you know it must be good. And it’s better than good – it’s mind blowing! Yosemite is famous for it’s thundering waterfalls, incredible granite cliffs, massive domes and hanging valleys.
Where to Stay in Sequoia National Park
There are limited Sequoia Park lodging options inside or near to Sequoia National Park. And that’s fine, because most people will be have a motor car, so staying in a nearby town should be no problem.
Cheap Accommodation
We went to Airbnb, and found loads of great options in Squaw Valley, about 90 minutes drive from the General Sherman tree. Actually it’s only about 45 minutes from the General Grant Sequoia at the other end of the park.
We chose a lovely RV on a farm, which cost only about $70 per night, an absolute bargain! This is our recommendation for your Sequoia accommodation.
Mid Range
There are several options just outside Sequoia National Park on the Three Rivers (southern) entrance. The closest is The Gateway Restaurant & Lodge, which is a much cheaper option than staying inside the National Park.
Luxury Accommodation
The Wuksachi Lodge is without doubt the best accommodation in Sequoia National Park. Yes it’s inside the park, not far from the General Sherman Tree and Giant’s Grove. But you will need to book well in advance as it gets booked very out early.
Find a Great Deal
You might like to try your luck looking for Sequoia Hotel deals on one of the hotel booking sites. Booking.com deals finder is a good place to start.
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