Sequoia & Kings Canyon

May 24, 2026

The General Sherman Tree — the largest known sequoia by volume

Sequoia and Kings Canyon are more than a day trip from Phoenix; roughly 9 hours. If you are in the LA area, it’s less than half that. If you go, you should definitely visit both. They are close together and the drive is amazing. Last time I was there, I drove from one to the other in the early morning. With the fog and the giant trees, it was otherworldly. Camping just outside of Sequoia was sublime. I’d recommend it but based on the difficulty getting a space, I think plenty of people already know.

The View from Moro Rock

Panoramic view of the Sierra Nevada from the Moro Rock area — granite slope on the right, rolling ridges and dramatic clouds beyond

View from the summit of Moro Rock — granite foreground, Sierra Nevada ridges stretching to the horizon, dramatic cloud bank

Perhaps it was the view from Moro Rock that surprised me most. I expected to see the giant Sequoias and Redwoods, but not the stunning view overlooking a valley.

The Giants

Tall sequoias on a hillside with surrounding pines

Looking up through the canopy at the late afternoon light

A fallen giant sequoia trunk in the foreground, living sequoias rising into a clear blue sky behind

You know the trees are big, and some are massive. You can see pictures online and read all the statistics. Some things only can be understood in person. Niagara Falls, Grand Canyon, and the giants of Sequoia. Do the hike up to General Sherman.