Kings Canyon National Park: Top sights to see on a short visit
If you are making a trip to Kings Canyon National Park but do not have a lot of time to stay at the park, these are the sights I would recommend seeing. They highlight some of the amazing waterfalls and stunning scenery within the park. If you are able to stay in the park at Cedar Grove Lodge, you can readily access each of these sites and maximize you time at Kings Canyon.
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Grizzly Falls
On your way into Kings Canyon National Park, take some time to stop at Grizzly Falls. This 80-foot-tall waterfall is right off the road leading to Kings Canyon’s Cedar Grove Visitor’s Center. The falls are actually located within Sequoia National Forest and not inside Kings Canyon National Park, so you could still visit them without paying the entrance fee for the National Park. This will be a very quick stop unless you decide to stick around and have some lunch or a snack on the picnic tables available at the site. These falls are very impressive and definitely worth the stop before entering Kings Canyon National Park.
Roaring River Falls
I recommend stopping at Roaring River Falls on your way to hike to Mist Falls. This is another relatively short hike that leads to another beautiful waterfall. Roaring River Falls are just over three miles from Cedar Grove Lodge and just under three miles to the Bubbs Creek and Rae Lakes Loop Trailhead. You could stop here either before your hike to Mist Falls or after, but the lighting for photographs will probably be better early in the day. The walk from the parking lot to the falls is quite short, making this an accessible site for most people.
Mist Falls via Bubbs Creek and Rae Lakes Loop Trailhead
If you are just in Kings Canyon for a day or two, I recommend adding Mist Falls to your list of places to visit. These falls are stunning and well worth the hike to reach them. Do note that this is an eight-mile roundtrip hike with almost 1,000 feet of elevation gain. Although this is an amazingly beautiful hike, it is not recommended for inexperienced hikers due to the length of the trail. If the thought of an eight-mile hike does not make you balk, this hike is worth undertaking.
When my dad and I hiked this trail, we saw three bears on the trail in front of us. Fortunately, we had enough room to back up and give them space until they moved away from the trail and into the woods. Keep your eyes open for wildlife and be aware that bears are commonly spotted in Kings Canyon and on this trail. We were also told that there was a rattlesnake near the trail at one point, but we never ended up seeing it. This was another reminder that National Parks are still quite wild, and animal encounters are commonplace.
If you make this hike, the Bailey Bridge/Bubbs Creek Bridge is also worth checking out. You can find this bridge just slightly past where you turn off for Mist Falls from Bubbs Creek Trail. I would suggest going to take a look at the bridge and then turning around to hop on the Sierra High Route that leads to Mist Falls. You can find trail conditions and download the GPS routes for this trail on Alltrails here.
The views of Kings Canyon National Park from the Mist Falls Trail are pretty spectacular
Mist Falls are definitely worth the visit…I definitely want to go back during peak spring runoff season
The Bailey Bridge/Bubbs Creek Bridge is worth a quick little side jaunt to visit. It makes for some pretty neat photographs, and you can try and spot fish in the clear waters of the river.
One of the three bears that my dad and I spotted walking down the trail straight towards us
My dad posing behind one of the more unique trees we saw during our hike
Boyden Cavern
I did not have the time to visit Boyden Cavern when I visited Kings Canyon, but it is definitely on my list for my next visit to Kings Canyon. Boyden Cavern is a beautiful marble cavern that you can take a guided tour through. The cavern is complete with stalactites, stalagmites, and other exquisite rock formations. The ascent to the cavern is said to be very steep, but fairly short. I definitely want to visit this cavern on my next visit. You can learn more about these tours by visiting the Boyden Cavern website here.
If you go to Kings Canyon National Park:
If you visit Kings Canyon National Park, I recommend trying to stay within the park boundaries to maximize your visit. The park is fairly remote, so staying outside the park means long drives to reach the park and fewer sights that you can visit. If you can stay inside the park, you can get an early jump on seeing these amazing sights. When my dad and I visited Kings Canyon, we stayed at the Cedar Grove Lodge. I would definitely recommend staying here. It is central to many of the park highlights. It also has a convenience store, restaurant, and lounge chairs overlooking the South Fork Kings River so you can relax after a day of hiking. The property is also very dark at night, making for great opportunities to practice some night photography. You can check on rates and room availability for Cedar Grove Lodge here.
