Paradise no one knows about!
Written: Jul 19 '00 (Updated Jul 22 '00)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Great Parks, Diverse Attractions, Little Known
Cons: Not as many programs as other more well known parks
|
|
|
| bgrayduck's Full Review: Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park |
The best kept secrets in California, if not the western US, are Sequoia Kings Canyon National Parks. Located about an hour east of Fresno, and south of their overpopulated cousin, Yosemite, these two parks hold some of the most breath-taking views I have ever seen.
Technically they are two different parks, but paying to get into one gets you into both. Sequoia is of course home to the Giant Sequoia Trees, one of the largest living things on earth. It is also home to Mt. Whitney, the highest point in the contiguous 48 states. One of my favorite places to visit in Sequoia is Moro Rock. It is a stunning monolith that juts out above the entrance valley. There are stairs carved into the rock and handrails so it makes for a fairly easy climb. (Though the first time I did it in the winter when it was covered in snow and ice - which made for a difficult assent, but coming down was simple - sit and slide!!!) The view from the top of the rock is stunning, a 360-degree view of the valley below and the mountains above. If you're looking for a spot for a romantic sunset, this is it.
Since I have been to Sequoia, they have built a new lodge. They had just started it when I was there, and I can't wait to go and see!!! Once we do, I'll add a review of it!
Sequoia also has great hiking trails, nice campsites, and Crystal Cave. Crystal cave is beautiful, though getting to it is a bit of a hike.
My favorite of the two parks is Kings Canyon, maybe because I lived and worked there for a summer. The two main parts of Kings Canyon are Grants Grove and Cedar Grove. Grants Grove is the first "village" you come to and the part of the park that I am the most familiar with. Grants Grove houses a nice gift shop, restaurant, store, gas station, campsites and lodging. The best campsites are those at Sunset campground - they are right on the edge of the Sierra's and the view of the valley below at night is indescribable... totally heaven on earth. At the time we were there, the camp hosts, Curt & Betty, were wonderfully sweet people who genuinely wanted to do whatever they could to make sure you had a great time.
The lodging at Grants Grove consists of 3 options. Bath Cabins, regular cabins and tent cabins. The bath cabins (there are only 9) have bathrooms in the "cabin" making them more or less just like rustic hotel room. The regular cabins are just big rustic cabins with beds, and a central bathroom among them. The tent cabins are just wood walls with canvas tops - pretty dang roughin it if you ask me!
I'm not as up on the lodging at Cedar Grove, which is down at the bottom of the canyon... sorry :(
My favorite place in Kings Canyon is not really a part of Kings Canyon National Park, but of the National Forrest, and that's Hume Lake. You have to go through Kings Canyon to get to it, and the drive there is half the fun. The lake is situated right in the middle of the mountains and has the cleanest, clearest water. Around the lake a ways is a fabulous swimming beach. It has GREAT sand and wonderful (unweedy ungooky) lake bottom. The best way I know to pass a day is to take a lunch to the beach, layout and swim. There's a church camp at the lake as well and they have a store there as well as boats to rent.
The trip to the bottom of the canyon is unbelievable. There are views of the mountains through the canyon that would rival anything you can find at Yosemite. The river running along the drive totally invites you to stop and take your shoes off for a minute.
These two parks are just treasures waiting to be found... I personally can't wait to go back.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
bgrayduck
|
|
Reviews written: 17
Trusted by: 2 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.