Best trails in Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park features huge groves of giant sequoias known as monarchs. These monarch trees are the largest trees on the planet. It also shares the tallest peak in the contiguous United States with Inyo National Forest. Covering an impressive 404,063 acres, there is so much to explore! The General Sherman Tree is a must-see. It is the largest tree in the world by volume and also one of the tallest. If you are up for an epic backpacking trip, you can take the High Sierra Trail all the way to the summit of Mount Whitney and back. Aside from beautiful giant forests, you can also explore caves, rivers, lakes, and alpine meadows. The park is popular for short day hikes and walks. There are endless multi-day backpacking options as well. Horseback riding, fishing, swimming, and nature photography are also great activities in Sequoia National Park.
Sequoia National Park requires a wilderness permit for overnight camping in the backcountry. For more information, please visit: https://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/wilderness_permits.htm
Top trails
Visitor info
This pass is valid for 1-7 days and includes everyone traveling on a motorcycle, scooter, or similar motorized vehicle for Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks and Hume Lake District of Sequoia National Forest/Giant Sequoia National Monument.
Non-commercial groups traveling in vehicles that have a capacity of up to 15 passengers pay a $35 vehicle entrance fee or use a park pass. Groups traveling in a bus or vehicle with a capacity of 16 persons or more are charged $20 per person, up to the maximums listed for commercial groups with comparable passenger capacity ($100 or $200). People 15 years old or younger, anyone with a pass that may be used for park entry, and drivers hired for transportation only are exempt from the per person fee.
This entry fee is for a single person traveling on foot or by bicycle. It is valid for 1-7 days in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks and Hume Lake District of Sequoia National Forest/Giant Sequoia National Monument.
This pass is valid for 1-7 days and includes everyone traveling in a single vehicle for Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks and Hume Lake District of Sequoia National Forest/Giant Sequoia National Monument.
This pass is valid for Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks and Hume Lake Ranger District of Sequoia National Forest/Giant Sequoia National Monument for one year from the month of purchase. The pass admits all passengers in a private vehicle and is non-transferable.
Join millions of people who enjoy our National Parks with the "America the Beautiful" National Park & Federal Recreational Lands Pass, otherwise known as the Interagency Annual Pass. The pass is valid for a year's worth of visits from the month of purchase at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites across the country.
No entrance pass required on these days:
Monday, January 20 — Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Saturday, April 19 — First day of National Park Week
Thursday, June 19 — Juneteenth National Independence Day
Monday, August 4 — Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
Saturday, September 27 — National Public Lands Day
Tuesday, November 11 — Veterans Day
The Interagency Access Pass is accepted here.
The Foothills, Lodgepole, and Kings Canyon Visitor Centers, and the Giant Forest Museum are accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers and have wheelchair accessible restrooms. Orientation films include closed captioning.
Loaner wheelchairs are available at the Giant Forest Museum, Lodgepole Visitor Center, or Kings Canyon Visitor Center. Assistive listening devices, audio descriptions, tactile exhibits, and Braille and text materials are available.
Many ranger-led programs are wheelchair accessible, and assistive listening devices and ASL interpreters are available by reservation. Please call (559) 565-3729 or email seki_information@nps.gov at least 1-2 weeks in advance to make a reservation for interpretation services.
Additional information about accessibility at Sequoia National Park can be found on their website: https://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm.
The shuttle buses in the park's Giant Forest and Lodgepole areas are wheelchair accessible, and drivers announce each stop.
Temporary parking placards for those driving personal vehicles without DMV-issued parking placards are available at any visitor center. No documentation is required for a temporary parking placard.
For more information on shuttles, visit: https://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/parktransit.htm.
The Foothills, Lodgepole, and Kings Canyon Visitor Centers, and Giant Forest Museum are accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers and have wheelchair accessible restrooms. Orientation films include closed captioning.
Wuksachi Lodge in Sequoia National Park and John Muir Lodge in Kings Canyon National Park have wheelchair accessible rooms.
Wheelchair accessible sites are available in most campgrounds, with extended picnic tables, raised grills, and generally packed, level ground.
Service animals must be on-leash throughout the park.
Trail reviews for Sequoia National Park
This is hands-down the best front-country trail at Sequoia National Park. The panorama view of Tokopah Falls and surrounding peaks from Watchtower Peak is unbelievably good. To me, half of the fun of this trail comes from Watchtower Peak, so I wouldn’t recommend doing this hike if Watchtower Trail is closed for the season. The final stretch to Pear Lake is brutal and seems never-ending, but the view is super rewarding. It’s definitely one of the most beautiful alpine lake. Don’t forget to take the short detour to Emerald Lake. Among the five lakes on this trail, Emerald Lake has the best reflection of the surrounding mountain, great for photography.
Hiked Alta Peak on May 19, 2025 Completed the Alta Peak hike on a clear and beautiful day. The weather was warm but not too hot—perfect for hiking. No snow on the trail, so no microspikes needed. There were plenty of water sources along the way, so carrying just 2 liters was enough (with a filter). The views from the summit were absolutely stunning—some of the best in Sequoia National Park. A challenging but rewarding hike. Highly recommended
INCREDIBLE trail with a few awesome views along the way. The scale of the sequoias blew away every expectation we had.
Some fantastic views of the sequoia trees, green meadows, and lupine groves. Not crowded at all. Our favorite at the park
The wildflowers are blooming in the meadow, the sequoias ringing the scene are as grand as ever, and the trail is fully paved. What more can you ask for? Be prepared to be in the crowds, but this is as picturesque a hike as exists in the whole of the national park system.
Easy trail. Exceptional views of the Sequoias. Paved. Crowded a bit near the top. Glad we came!