How to Spend 1 Day in Sequoia National Park
Do you only have 1 day to spend exploring the amazing Sequoia National Park? Are you feeling overwhelmed about how to prioritize your time to make every hour count? I’ve got you covered in this post. I’m going to share 3 hikes and 1 attraction that you can get done in 1 day, as well as answer questions such as how to deal with bears and where to eat.
Tucked away into the high sierras lies a secret; a park full of wonder and ancient trees that can live to be over 3,000 years old. I’m talking about Sequioa National Park, a place where the giants reign. Exploring this park is a surprisingly fun endeavor, full of twists and turns along the way- literally!
The sheer size of the trees will humble you as you can only marvel at the age of these living giants. The best way to experience this park is to leave your car behind and get on the trail, and stand in the shadows of these incredible life forms who only grow in this select part of the world.
With that in mind, how do you spend a “perfect” day in Sequoia NP? Let’s get into it!
Where to Enter the Park
If you’re driving from southern California, I’ve found the best entrance to be the Foothills entrance near Three Rivers. Coming through that entrance, you will wind your way up the General Sherman Highway, and remember to really slow down and take in the experience- it’s a wild ride!
After a short couple miles you’ll pass the Foothills Visitor Center, where you can stop for a bathroom break. Soon you’ll pass the first stop of the journey!
First stop: the world famous Sequoia National Park sign! Photo by Rebecca Abbott
Sequoia National Park Sign
After the visitor’s center, you’ll pass the classic Sequoia National Park sign, and I encourage you to take a picture with it! It’s a sign of antiquity. You’ll pass tunnel rock, and enjoy sweeping vistas of the river valley along the way up. After about 45 minutes of travel, you will find the Giant Forest Museum.
The Giant Forest Museum in Sequoia National Park.
Giant Forest Museum
Stopping here first allows you to learn more about the forest, the human history of the area, and you’ll have an opportunity to talk to a ranger and ask your specific questions. This is the launchpad for the rest of your day, as there is plenty of parking here and the building is in the center of many connecting trails throughout the park.
In the museum, there are several exhibits that educate the visitor about the trees themselves, and I loved learning about what makes these trees so unique along with the landscape where they thrive. There is also really interesting exhibits and pictures about the human history of the park, and how we have changed the way we interact with the land over time.
We also made sure to stop and talk with a ranger, as we were unsure what was worth visiting. The part that I liked best about starting with the museum is that you learn about the trees so that as you interact with them throughout the day you have a better idea of what you’re looking at; the age of these trees, their importance, and their lifecycles.
Once you get your fill of information, history, and all of your burning questions answered by a ranger- it’s time to explore!
Mono Rock formed from magma that had cooled down and eventually turned into this granite slab after years of erosion.
Moro Rock
Put your boots to work right away by taking the Moro Rock Trail from the museum to the base of Moro Rock. I suggest that you start this hike early in the morning, as the trail gets even busier throughout the day. From the Museum to the top of Moro Rock is about 2 miles, with 475 feet of elevation gain. The trail connecting the museum to the base of Moro Rock is a good length with some ups and downs, but it’s peaceful, usually light on crowds, and it’s a good way to get an introduction to the park.
This trail is well marked, and you shouldn’t run into issues finding the base of Moro Rock. Once you it make there, you will find a restroom at the base which I suggest you stop as there’s no where to go on the rock! Hiking up to the top of Moro Rock is very short, but there are lots of steps.
It is also skinny at some portions so you will have to be patient and communicate with others as people make their way up and others make their way down. There are lots of railings, but keep in mind that although this is a short hike, it is intense! There isn’t a whole lot saving you from falling off the rock, and it’s crowded. So take your time if you’re scared of heights and remember that you can turn around at any point.
Once you reach the top, you’ll understand why this trail is so popular. The views looking out over the forest are 360, and you can even see the unique position of Sequoia National Park; in one direction are the snowcapped high sierras, and in the other is a brown, arid, and mountainous desert landscape.
This trail is short, and fun, and the views are quite the reward! I think this trail was worth dealing with the crowds, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Once you’ve had your fill of the views and exploring the top, head back down from whence you came- back towards the restrooms!
A fun photo opp at the Tunnel Log in Sequoia National Park.
Soldiers Tail to Fallen Tree Tunnel
From the parking lot and restroom at the base of Moro rock, you can either go back to your car via the Moro Rock trail towards the museum, or you can take the scenic route. To get interactive with the giant sequoias and forest they call home, we followed the Soldiers Trail back to Giant Forest Museum rather than the Moro Rock trail. This journey is about 2.5 miles, takes about an hour to an hour and 30, and is less than 1,000 feet in elevation gain.
You will journey along Soldiers Hill Trail, then follow Old Bear Hill Road, and Alta Trail back towards the Giant Forest Museum.
Along this journey, you will cross paths with Crescent Meadow Road and get to watch cars pass through the famed Tunnel Log. This is a tunnel large enough to allow a car to pass through that was cut right through a fallen Sequoia in the 1930’s- it’s really cool! Note that this is an area heavily congested with cars, so make sure you’re paying careful attention while crossing the road. Because this area is so congested with traffic, walking it makes the experience really unique.
While you may not be able to get a picture with your car in the tunnel, you can climb on top of it and snap a pic while another car is driving by. It’s the best of both worlds- no headache, cool experience, and you get a pic!
A human-sized tree tunnel makes for a fun experience!
From here, it’s a nice, gentle walk through the forest as the sun peeks through the trees, allowing you the opportunity to breathe the fresh air, touch as many sequoias as you come across, and meet with some of the wildlife such as birds, squirrels, and butterflies.
Towards the end of the trail and closer to the Museum, we came across a meadow in the shadow of a giant sequoia and surrounding it was the wildflower California Coneflower. It was a dazzling display of vibrant yellow, verdant green and golden sunshine- absolute magic. We also got to pass through a human-sized tree tunnel, so there are plenty of cool sights and unique photo opps along with the way.
The beautiful California Coneflower.
General Sherman Tree
The General Sherman Tree is the largest known living tree on Earth, it is estimated to be around 2,200 to 2,700 years old (per Wikipedia). This is a must see while at Sequoia National Park- don’t let the opportunity to stand in the shadow of the world’s largest tree pass you by!
To access this record setting tree, you will drive along the General’s Highway for 3.8 miles, or ten minutes, until you reach the parking area for the General Sherman Tree. If this parking lot is full, you can drive to Lodgepole parking lot and hike back down to the Generl’s parking lot by road or by hiking trail.
Once you make it to the Sherman Tree trailhead, it will be well marked and will have a large resrtoom at the beginning. The Sherman Tree Hike is a 1.2 mile out and back trail with less than 200 feet of elevation gain, so it really is a hike that the whole family can complete. The hike down to the tree is very enjoyable, if a little crowded. Once you make it to the tree you can walk around, although the tree is fenced off you can’t get up close and personal.
Despite the crowds, it is absolutely magic to be standing in front of the biggest tree in the world.
The Congress Trail Trailhead.
Congress Trail
If you have time and want to get away from the crowds and see the other biggest trees in the park, you can take the Congress Trail for 2.2 miles in a loop. While we didn’t have time to do this ourselves due to incoming weather, the ranger we talked to in the morning highly suggested it.
Per the ranger, this is a mostly flat trail, less than 500 feet of elevation gain, that allows you to escape the crowds and get close to the biggest of the giants. This is a mostly paved trail with markers for a few of the bigger trees. This is top of the list for my next visit to Sequoia National Park!
Whether you had the time for the Congress loop or not, you will get back to your car the same way you took down- via the Sherman Tree Trail.
Where to Eat
If you find yourself ready for some lunch or dinner, I would suggest getting pizza or a burger (and a beer ;) at Wuksachi Lodge- a hotel and restaurant in Sequoia National Park. To get here, follow along the General’s Highway until you pass a sign pointing you up a road with a steep set of switchbacks. The switchbacks open up for a moment to allow you a stunning view of the forest as you wind your way up, eventually leading you to the lodge and the parking area.
There are actually two restaurants in the lodge, each with its own specialty.
There is Peaks Restaurant, which serves breakfast from 7:00-10 AM and dinner from 5-8 PM. For lunch, 11:30-3:00, you can order take-out pizza from the Wuksachi Pizza Deck, and dine on the outdoor patio while taking in the gorgeous views of the park.
We got to see a deer in the parking lot of Wuksachi Lodge.
We packed our own lunch, so we cannot confirm the quality of the lunch served. We can however confirm that the burgers and chili we ordered was delicious. And it was undeniably convenient to be able to order restaurant fresh food right before heading to our campsite in bear country- no clean up, no stoves, no problem.
Bear Safety
Sequoia National Park is in bear country, which means that you need to take precautions with your food storage. We had no problem with bears or other wildlife while exploring this park, but the following precautions are suggested:
Keep all food or highly scented items locked up in your car
Keep coolers out of sight; bears recognize that food is inside these objects
If available, keep all food in a bear box at trailheads
Bears shouldn’t be an issue if you follow these precautions but talk to a ranger if you have further questions.
What to Pack for 1 Day in Sequoia
1 day in Sequoia National Park means lots and lots of walking. To stay comfortable and safe, I would suggest the following packing list:
Hiking boots
If you need more information on how to buy the best hiking boots, check out this post I wrote
Hiking backpack
Water (at least 2 liters)
Food
I suggest packing snacks and lunch at a minimum, that way you have more time to enjoy the hikes
Wear moisture-wicking clothing
A map or some sort of navigation device
If you are still unsure what to pack, I go over this in more detail in this post.
If you want to make your life easier, I do offer a free hiking checklist to make this whole process that much easier and to reduce the likelihood of you forgetting something essential. See below for information!
Sequoia National Park is a hidden gem in the high Sierra. There are many unique experiences to be had here; from frolicking in a sunlit forest surrounded by ancient sequoia trees, to hiking up crazy cool rock features like Moro rock, and even walking over cars as they pass through a tunnel cut through a fallen tree!
Personally, I've already started planning my next trip to Sequoia National Park.
So tell me; are you ready to start planning yours? Let me know in the comments, and sign up for my monthly newsletter so you can get inspiration for your next adventure! Thanks for reading along friends, until next time!
Cheers,
Rebecca
