Hike, Climb, and Ski in the Land of the Giants: Yosemite, Sequoia & Kings Canyon
- SAMPLE ITINERARY
- Oct 16, 2025
- 5 min read
Welcome to California’s wild heart — the Sierra Nevadas, where sheer granite cliffs meet towering sequoias and roaring waterfalls echo through glacier-carved valleys.
In Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks, nature roars, sparkles, and soars. Wander beneath the world’s largest trees, stand before El Capitan’s dizzying face, and trace alpine trails that feel like walking through a living postcard.
The best part? These three icons sit side by side, making it surprisingly easy to craft a seamless adventure that links them all — from Yosemite’s epic peaks to Sequoia’s cathedral groves and Kings Canyon’s untamed wilderness. These three parks equal one unforgettable Statescation.
Yosemite National Park
Carved by glaciers and crowned by granite, Yosemite is more than a valley — it’s a living monument to nature’s persistence and human wonder. First protected in 1864, it remains one of America’s greatest testaments to conservation and raw beauty.
Within nearly 1,200 square miles of the Sierra Nevadas, waterfalls plunge from thousand-foot cliffs, wildflower meadows stretch beneath cathedral peaks, and ancient sequoias stand like sentinels of time.
Whether you’re tracing the mist at Yosemite Falls, watching sunlight ignite Half Dome, or hiking through alpine wilderness that feels unchanged for centuries, Yosemite doesn’t just show you nature — it reminds you what awe feels like.
Summer in Yosemite
When the snow melts and waterfalls roar to life, Yosemite transforms into an outdoor playground framed by granite and sky. Spend your days hiking alpine trails, biking through meadows, or rock climbing on world-famous cliffs.
Cool off beneath misty falls, join ranger-led walks and naturalist programs, or slow things down with an open-air art class or stargazing session under some of the clearest skies in California.
Winter in Yosemite
When winter settles in, Yosemite sparkles. The park has a long tradition of skiing, from California’s oldest ski resort to remote backcountry ski huts tucked deep in the snow.
At Badger Pass Ski Area, carve down classic alpine runs or glide across miles of cross-country trails. You can snowshoe through quiet forests, ice skate beneath Half Dome, or tube and sled your way through the season’s softer side.
Where to Stay
From classic lodges to backcountry camps, Yosemite offers stays for every style of adventurer—each surrounded by the granite peaks and starlit skies of the Sierra Nevadas.
Lodges & Cabins: Yosemite Valley Lodge, White Wolf Lodge, Tuolumne Meadows Lodge, The Ahwahnee
Canvas & Camp: Curry Village (cabins and canvas tents), Housekeeping CampHigh Country
Adventures: High Sierra Camps, Glacier Point Ski Hut
Featured Stay: The Ahwahnee
Set in the heart of Yosemite Valley, The Ahwahnee is Yosemite’s only luxury hotel, pairing fine dining and refined comfort with floor-to-ceiling views of Half Dome and Glacier Point. A National Historic Landmark celebrated for its dramatic stone-and-timber architecture, The Ahwahnee has welcomed presidents, royals, and travelers seeking a stay as extraordinary as the park itself. Open year-round, it remains the crown jewel of Yosemite—an unforgettable blend of history, craftsmanship, and world-class hospitality.
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park
Linked under one National Park Service unit, Sequoia and Kings Canyon deliver the best of both worlds—two distinct landscapes bound by the wild beauty of the Sierra Nevadas.
In Sequoia National Park, ancient giants tower skyward in the Giant Forest, granite domes rise above misty valleys, and the legendary General Sherman Tree—the largest living tree on Earth—anchors a land shaped by time and towering roots. Wander to Moro Rock for sweeping views, or explore Crescent Meadow and Mineral King, where black bears and marmots roam.
Just next door, Kings Canyon National Park unfolds in epic scale, with glacier-carved valleys, riverside trails, and the quiet majesty of Zumwalt Meadow. From the panoramic views of Grant Grove to the rushing waters of Cedar Grove, these parks are pure Sierra soul—wild, ancient, and unforgettable.
Activities
From casting a line in alpine lakes to spotting black bears along forested trails, Sequoia and Kings Canyon invite you to slow down and savor the wild.
Spend your days hiking, backpacking, or horseback riding through sun-dappled canyons, then pause to take in the scale of the giant sequoia groves that define this place.
Whether you’re chasing waterfalls, watching wildlife, or simply standing still beneath the world’s largest trees, every experience here connects you to something timeless.
Explore a Little More…
Adventure doesn’t stop at the trail’s end. Join a National Park Service ranger for a guided walk through the groves, a moonlit talk at Beetle Rock, or an evening program beneath the stars.
And if you’re curious about what makes these parks so extraordinary, stop by the visitor centers or museum to learn the stories behind the scenery—from the life of the ancient sequoias to the ecosystems that thrive beneath them. It’s a deeper way to see, feel, and truly understand this incredible corner of the Sierra Nevadas.
Where to Stay
Sleep among the giants. Whether you’re tucked into a cozy cabin beneath the trees or waking to sunrise over the Sierra peaks, these parks offer stays that keep you close to nature’s best show.
Choose from Wuksachi Lodge in the heart of Sequoia, Grant Grove Cabins with their rustic charm, Cedar Grove Lodge deep in Kings Canyon, or the Pear Lake Winter Hut—a true backcountry retreat for adventurous souls.
Wherever you stay, you’ll find yourself surrounded by silence, stars, and the scent of sequoia bark warming in the sun.
Featured Stay: John Muir Lodge
Named for the naturalist who helped inspire the National Park idea itself, John Muir Lodge offers a comfortable and classic mountain escape in the Grant Grove Village area of Kings Canyon National Park.
With 36 guest rooms and a welcoming great room anchored by a stone fireplace, it’s the perfect base for exploring nearby trails to the General Grant Tree, Panoramic Point, and other highlights of Grant Grove.
Just steps from the visitor center, market, and dining, this lodge blends the spirit of wilderness adventure with the warmth of a timeless park stay.
Bonus Adventure: Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort
Just a few hours’ drive from Yosemite and the southern Sierra parks, Mammoth Mountain delivers another side of the range—where alpine adventure meets resort energy.
In winter, it’s pure snow lover’s paradise, with 3,500+ acres of skiable terrain, 25 lifts, and 178 trails that make it one of California’s most legendary destinations for downhill and cross-country skiing.
Whether you’re carving through fresh powder, learning the ropes at the Ski & Snowboard School, or just soaking up the mountain views between runs, Mammoth turns a winter Statescation into something unforgettable.
When the snow melts, the fun doesn’t stop. Summer and fall bring a whole new kind of adventure—mountain biking, hiking, and even a mountain coaster and zipline that run year-round.
Add in great gear shops, restaurants, and a lively alpine town vibe, and Mammoth becomes the perfect add-on to any Sierra Nevadas itinerary—a place where the season never really ends and adventure always runs high.
