Kings Canyon Park

Notes by piero scaruffi | Other California destinations | California hikes

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Driving directions

Directions for Roads End from the Bay Area. Take 101 south, 152 east lo Los Banos (about 1 hr 30') to 99 (about 2hr), 99 south to Fresno (about 300 kms, 2h 30'). In Fresno, take 180 east and follow it (the freeway is not completed yet, it will go through town and then turn left into Kings Canyon Ave) to the Big Stump park entrance (85 kms, 1h 15') to the fork with Sequoia Park (5') to Grant Grove village (3kms, visitor center, restaurant, water, restrooms, market) to Cedar Grove (50 winding kms, 50', via Kings Canyon Lodge 20', Boyden Cavern 30', Kings Canyon border 40') and then (10 kms) Roads End. Park at Roads End, at the first parking lot, marked by the sign "Information".

Cheap gas in Fresno: Arco on Kings Canyon Ave, or the gas stations on Clinton Ave & Weber. Cheap lodging: Belmont Ave exit of 99.

  • 101 south, 152 east lo Los Banos 1 hr 30'
  • 152 east to 99 30'
  • 99 south to Fresno 30'
  • 180 east and to Big Stump park entrance 1h 15'
  • to the fork with Sequoia Park 5'
  • to Grant Grove village 5'
  • Kings Canyon Lodge 20'
  • Boyden Cavern 10'
  • Kings Canyon border 10'
  • Cedar Grove 10'
  • Roads End 10'

Camping near Roads End

Several options:
  • There are four campgrounds between Cedar Grove and Roads End: Sentinel, Sheep Creek, Moraine, Canyon View (each a hefty $18 in 2008)
  • There is a road where free camping is popular (legal as long as you can park the car safely). If you are coming from Sequoia Park, turn right after the Montecito lodge. This is a short distance before the junction with 180 in Cedar Grove.
  • You can try and sleep in your car or near your car at Roads End, but rangers are inflexible and have an unlimited amount of time, so most likely they will find you and send you away (Note that it is environmentally much better to sleep in one's car than in a campground, but rangers are not paid to care for the environment, they are paid to maximize revenues)
  • Just before Cedar Grove (before the bridge) it's national forest, therefore you can camp anywhere it is safe to park. There are a few turnouts on 180 just before Cedar Grove where you can park and camp.

Food before Roads End

Fresno is the last reliable place. Once you are on 180 heading east, there are still a couple of restaurants in Squaw Valley but they are not open till late. The (expensive) restaurant at the visitor center (Grant Village) and the pizzeria in the back close early and are seasonal.

Information

Warning

Beware of
  • mosquitoes pretty much anywhere from Roads End to the John Muir Trail
  • snakes between Charlotte Camp and Vidette Meadow