Visiting Sequoia, Kings Canyon and Yosemite National Parks all in the same trip is a great idea, and there’s even a name for it: the Majestic Mountain Loop. You can visit all three parks over a few days or a week, and however you pace yourself it’s a great trip. We’ve done this exact trip to the three Sierra National Parks twice, and each time it’s been beautiful and fun, and even though the trip has included three different National Parks, it’s felt like a complete visit with some wonderfully deep exploring.
We’ve got a great, easy to follow plan for spending 3-6 days between Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. The Majestic Mountain Loop can be a camping trip, hotels in the gateway towns, or staying in the National Park lodges. We’ll share all the options to put together a really cool California National Parks road trip. If you have any questions about our recommendations or need some more suggestions, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan a fun outdoor adventure!
Where are the California Sierra National Parks
When you look at a map of the state of California, look on the right side (east side) where the straight edge border of California and Nevada is. There’s an obtuse angled corner just south of Reno/Tahoe and that’s where the California Sierra National Parks kind of begin. Driving Highway 395 down from Carson City you’ll cover some interesting territory until you get to the Mono Lake area (lots of cool geology here!) and that’s where you first come to Yosemite National Park. If you make it to Mammoth Lakes you’ve gone too far… unless you want to visit Devil’s Postpile National Monument.
Continuing through Yosemite National Parks different areas and exit to the south for a drive to Kings Canyon National Park and Giant Sequoia National Monument. And then right next door is Sequoia National Park. These three parks combined with the interesting mountain recreation areas and towns of Oakhurst, Bass Lake, Three Rivers and Visalia make for a complete mountain road trip experience that’s easy to plan and easier to enjoy. The Majestic Mountain Loop is a plan to be able to visit all three National Parks in just three days, which is actually very doable. I like to give it more time but you can do all three and feel good about it in a short time too.
How do you get to Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks?
To start, you can easily fly into Fresno International Airport (FAT) and drive less than an hour to Oakhurst to be ready for your first day in Yosemite, or you can fly into Reno (RNO) and drive 2.5 hours to the eastern entrance of Yosemite to begin. If you wanted to do this in reverse you can fly into Fresno and then head south to Visalia to be based there for your Sequoia and Kings Canyon days. Driving from Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area or Las Vegas are all options too.
Once you’re in the general vicinity you have some choices for where to stay and if you want to spend any nights in the parks or if you want to stay more budget friendly by staying the in gateway towns. It’s fun to wake up in a National Park, but it’s for sure a premium price. When you stay in the gateway towns you can even use bus systems to access the parks. Yosemite has the YARTS which can actually transport you in from Oakhurst or Mariposa and throughout the park, and then Sequoia has the shuttle system within the park and even connects to Visalia.
How to Visit the National Parks on the Majestic Mountain Loop
Let’s get into the planning of this fun, easy road trip between the three mountain parks. Really, I can’t be clear enough about the simplicity of this adventure. There is wildlife, amazing sights, epic trees and wonderful hikes. It’s all very digestable/doable with any range of activity level or interests. And because there are wonderful gateway towns you can enjoy a little slice of California life too!
Where to Stay for Yosemite NP
The first few times I visited Yosemite National Park we camped, and it was a blast. Camping isn’t for everyone though, and if you’re flying to California to do the National Parks in the Sierras you likely aren’t going to fly with a bunch of camping equipment. If you are though, I recommend making camping reservations at least three months in advance. Anyone who does want to camp and is flying in can actually arrange camping gear rentals at REI in Fresno (where you fly into). They can set you up with a whole camping gear set (tents, cooler, campstove, sleeping bags…)
When it comes to hotel options, you can either stay in the park or a gateway town. I like both options, but I find that staying in town makes the trip easier and more cost effective.
For Yosemite you can choose from four different options inside the park or tons more in Oakhurst. The Tenaya Lodge is just outside the south entrance and it’s an easy option, or the Evergreen Lodge is outside of the Big Oak Flat entrance and it’s awesome too. In the town of Oakhurst you have lots of options for where to stay, including national travel brand hotels (Holiday Inn, Hampton Inn, Fairfield Inn…) and some fun independent lodges. Bass Lake is another great option for a homebase for Yosemite, and it’s wonderfully relaxed and quiet. We enjoyed The Pines Resort on Bass Lake for a fun chalet-style stay.
Where to Stay for Sequoia and Kings Canyon NPs
For Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, the easiest home base is actually to stay in the city of Visalia, as it’s convenient to both park entrances and at the end of each day you have lots of restaurants and things to do in the city. Visalia is also a good time during the day if you have extra space in your itinerary. Another town you could consider for an easy-access-stay for Sequoia National Park is Three Rivers. There are lots of inn and lodge options here and it’s very close to the entrance to the park. It’s much further from the main entrance to Kings Canyon though, so I think staying in Visalia is easier for a two-park visit.
Like Yosemite though, you can also choose to stay within the parks. The John Muir Lodge or Cedar Grove Lodge are both in Kings Canyon NP and the Wuckashi Lodge is in Sequoia NP. There are also campgrounds in both parks so you can rough it and wake up among the sequoia trees spring, summer or fall. And in case you missed the recommendation before, you can rent camping gear from REI in Fresno if you need it.
How to Spend your Time in Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks
Now that you have an easy plan for getting to the Majestic Mountain Loop parks and where to stay, let’s make a plan for spending time in each of the parks. You can do this trip in as little as four days (one arrival day, 3 park days) or you can take 5-7 days to enjoy all three parks and the towns in the area. It’s your call and whatever you choose, you’ll love exploring this part of California.
Easy Plan for Yosemite NP
We’ve got two different one-day plans for Yosemite National Park, so if you can spare two full days in the park, you can do both of them and have an amazing time. The first suggested day itinerary is for the southern part of Yosemite, and is very easy if you’re staying in Oakhurst or just outside the park.
- Visit the Mariposa Grove of Sequoias
- Check out the Wawona History Museum and Trails
- Drive Glacier Point Road and take in all the views
- Hike at Sentinel Dome
- Enjoy sunset from Tunnel View, overlooking the Yosemite Valley.
For a second day in Yosemite, you can plan on exploring the west side of the park a bit more and then really immersing yourself in the Yosemite Valley and its many sights and museums.
- Yosemite National Park Entrance Signs at El Portal and Big Oak Flat
- Tuolumne and/or Merced Grove of Sequoias
- Yosemite Valley sites and short hikes
- If you have time and are interested, the Yosemite Valley Tram Tour is a great activity too
For either day, it makes things much easier if you arrive with a picnic in tow. The food options are very limited in the southern part of the park and everywhere else too except for at the end of the Yosemite Valley where there is the village and lodges. Plan to keep things low stress by having plenty of snacks and drinks for your days in the park.
Easy Plan for Sequoia NP
Sequoia National Park is a great single day park, but if you can spare another day, do it. Because it’s not a terribly spread out park, Sequoia is easy to drive into and make the different stops in a logical order, mixing in hikes based on how busy you see each area. I really like that aspect of Sequoia National Park: you can adjust your plans super easily and it’s a low-stress experience any time of year. Here’s how I would plot out a fun, simple day in Sequoia to see the best sights and really enjoy it.
- Explore the Giant Forest and museum
- See the General Sherman Tree
- Visit Moro Rock, also drive through the Tunnel Log
- Visit Crescent Meadow for a picnic
- Do the Crystal Cave tour – seasonal
- Explore the Foothills Area if you have time
Sequoia National Park is beautiful and is easy to enjoy with kids, as really active hiking adults, or with companions with limited mobility. I think of the tree parks in the Majestic Mountain Loop Sequoia NP is my favorite.
Easy Plan for Kings Canyon NP
I like Kings Canyon National Park because it feels very overlooked. It’s directly next door to Sequoia and you even can drive directly into it from Sequoia, but it’s just not as busy at all, especially as you head out on the Scenic Byway into Kings Canyon itself. This is a good one-day park too, but if you want to do some of the bigger hikes you’ll need two days, as there are several 6-12 mile hikes to choose from. Here’s my recommendation for spending just one day in King Canyon National Park:
- Visit Grant Grove and the General Grant Tree
- Drive the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway
- Explore Cedar Grove, the visitor center and the river
- Enjoy Zumwalt Meadows and the short trails
- Do the Boyden Cavern Tour (reservations recommended)
- Visit Panoramic Point on your way out of the park
Something to consider as you visit Kings Canyon National Park is the drive down into the canyon and how to pace it. I would advise you to drive to the end of the road and then make your stops and hikes on the way back. There are lots of beautiful spots to pull off the road and be wowed by the views, and as the light changes, you may find that you want to relax more as the day goes on. You’ll love it.
Things to Do in the Sierras Near National Parks
The three National Parks are definitely the highlight of getting to visit the Majestic Mountain Loop zone, but there are lots of fun and interesting things to add to your time. In the Oakhurst area outside of Yosemite there are some beautiful trails to enjoy in the Sierra National Forest. The Way of the Mono, Angel Falls and Nelder Grove trails are all easy, beautiful and the perfect addition to your arrival or departure day to the area. While you’re outside of Yosemite National Park, check out the Yosemite Sugarpine Railroad, Yosemite Axe Throwing, or Yosemite Outdoor Adventures for more things to do in the area.
On the other side of the park is Mammoth Lakes, Mono Lake, and the 395 which is loaded with cool sites, awesome geology and lots of good food. If you wanted to add a few days in Mammoth Lakes to the Yosemite portion of your Sierras trip, you could do so very easily.
Outside of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, you’re deep in farm country, but there are some cool natural areas to visit too. The Dry Creek Preserve is cool to check out, and then there are some neat spots in Lemon Cove and Three Rivers too. If you wanted to add the Mineral King Road part of Sequoia National Park, that’s an option as well. On the way out of Kings Canyon is Cat Heaven, which is a sort of big cat sanctuary, and then as you head back towards Fresno you get the chance to stop at the Sunmaid Raisin farm. Lots of fun things to think about!
This is a really fun and beautiful trip to take, and it’s great with all ages and abilities. It’s such a simple plan for a memorable experience. I can never decide what my favorite hike it here, but between Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, the Majestic Mountain Loop is a shoe in for fun. If you have any questions about planning this trip or need additional recommendations for things to do, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan an awesome California trip!
