hour to complete without stops along the way, as the curvy road winds down into the canyon. Kings Canyon Highway is usually open beyond the Hume junction from late April to mid-November.
Since most motorists approach Kings Canyon from the Fresno area via Highway 180, this road log begins at the west boundary of Kings Canyon National Park.
Kings Canyon National Park boundary: Highway 180 climbs out of the San Joaquin Valley up the west slope of the Sierra and enters national parkland.
Big Stump Entrance Station: The old entrance station was removed in 2005 due to the high probability of an old sequoia tree toppling onto the site and was temporarily relocated to the Big Stump Picnic Area parking lot.
Big Stump Picnic Area: Hopefully, this picnic area, which served as the temporary entrance station, will be refurbished when the new entrance station opens, with restrooms and picnic tables available to the public. In winter, Big Stump has been also used as a snow play area. A short nature trail loop through Big Stump Grove attracts tourists, while a longer 2-mile loop and a trail to Hitchcock Meadow offer a bit more solitude (see Trips 61–62).
Y-junction with Generals Highway: Here the Generals Highway heads south through the western finger of Kings Canyon National Park and across Giant Sequoia National Monument to the north part of Sequoia National Park. Kings Canyon Highway continues ahead toward Grant Grove.
Wilsonia: On the right-hand side of the highway, a road heads into a private inholding within Kings Canyon National Park, filled mainly with rustic cabins. The first official step toward the establishment of a national park occurred in 1880, when Theodore Wagner, US Surveyor General for California, suspended four square miles of Grant Grove, prohibiting any interested parties from filing a land claim. Unfortunately, a 160-acre claim had already been filed adjacent to the area. Subsequent efforts to buy the land were unsuccessful, leading to the privately owned Wilsonia area you see today.
Sunset Campground: Sunset Campground on the left is the first of the campgrounds in the Grant Grove area. It is open from late May to September.
Grant Grove Village: Grant Grove is the main hub of services within Kings Canyon National Park. Facilities include a visitor center, restrooms, lodging, restaurant, general store, gift shop, post office, and public showers. A number of hiking trails emanate from the area as well (see Trips 63–67).
Grant Tree Road and Crystal Springs Road: A mere 0.2 mile from the entrance to Grant Grove Village is an intersection with the Grant Tree Road on the left and the Crystal Springs Road on the right. The Grant Tree Road travels 0.75 mile to a large parking lot (restrooms) near the start of the nature trail loop around the General Grant Tree (see Trip 66). This road also accesses the Azalea and Swale Campgrounds and the trailhead for the North Grove (see Trip 65).
The Crystal Springs Road leads to Crystal Springs Campground and John Muir Lodge in the Grant Grove area before continuing roughly northeast to the parking lot for the short walk to Panorama Point (see Trip 67).
Stables: Horseback rides are available from the Grant Grove Stables during the summer months.
Kings Canyon National Park boundary: Just before the boundary between the park and Giant Sequoia National Monument, the highway crosses the North Boundary Trail. Beyond the boundary, the highway enters lands administered by Sequoia National Forest.
McGee Vista Point: From a pullout on the left-hand side, you have a sweeping view of the western Sierra. An interpretive sign offers information about the McGee Burn forest fire of 1955.
Cherry Gap: Here the Kings Canyon Highway reaches its high point (approximately 6,800 feet). On the left, FS 13S03 heads into Converse Basin, where thousands of giant sequoias were sacrificed to the lumberman’s axe in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Only a small percentage remains, including the Boole Tree, eighth largest (see Trip 69), of what was once the largest grove of giant sequoias in the world.
FS Road 13S55: On the left, another dirt Forest Service road heads into Converse Basin.
Princess Meadow: Near lovely Princess Meadow is the right-hand turn into Princess Campground. Look for deer and other wildlife in the meadow right after dawn or before sunset.
Hume junction: The Hume Road on the right leaves Kings Canyon Highway and makes a steep, winding descent on narrow road to Hume Lake. Along the way are some airy views. The lake, which is a reservoir created by a dam, offers swimming at Sandy Cove, picnicking at Powder Can, and camping at Hume Lake Campground. Hume Lake Christian Camps above the southwest shore has a general store with gas pumps, a snack shop, gift shop, and boat rentals available to the general public. In winter, the Kings Canyon Highway is closed past this junction.
Junction View: For about the previous
