Kings Canyon: But Where Is the Canyon?
April in the Sierra Nevada is a season of contrasts. While wildflowers bloom in the foothills, the higher elevations remain cloaked in snow, and many roads are still closed. This was the case for us when we visited Kings Canyon National Park. The park's main artery, Highway 180, is known as the longest dead-end road in the U.S., but during our spring visit, it was still closed beyond Grant Grove due to lingering snow and seasonal closures.
Despite the road closure, we explored the accessible areas, starting with Grant Grove. This grove is home to the General Grant Tree, with the distinction of being the world’s widest tree, with a maximum base diameter of 40 feet and a circumference of nearly 108 feet. Interestingly, the General Grant Tree is estimated to be around 1,650 years old, making it younger than many of its giant peers. This youthfulness, coupled with its massive size, highlights the exceptional growing conditions in Grant Grove, where sequoias can ‘rapidly’ achieve monumental proportions.
This special place was designated the fourth national park in 1890, named after General Grant. In 1940 it was incorporated into the newly established Kings Canyon National Park and is now jointly administered with Sequoia National Park. The kids worked through a single Junior Ranger book and badge for both parks, reinforcing their interconnectedness. In fact, during our visit, it felt as though we were continuing our journey through Sequoia National Park, with the same awe-inspiring trees and landscapes extending into ‘Kings Canyon’ (the National Park, not the geological feature).
The kids were delighted with the natural playground provided by the grove. They slid down the smooth surface of a fallen sequoia, polished by countless visitors over the years, and crawled through the hollowed-out trunks of trees that had survived fires. These cool ‘caves’ under the trees reminded us how sequoias endure and even thrive after fires, thanks to their thick, protective bark and regenerative abilities.
Though we couldn't venture down the full length of Highway 180, our time in Grant Grove was a reminder of how unique these Sequoia groves are and how important it is to protect them. Although we will need to wait for a future summer to drive the longest dead-end road to see the actual canyon in Kings Canyon National Park, the kids were glad we could see the national park and spend a few less hours in the car.
