The Best Time to Visit Kings Canyon National Park in 2024

Kings Canyon National Park is often thought of in combination with nearby Sequoia National Park, but it deserves to be visited in its own right. It contains some of California’s most spectacular natural landscapes.

Kings Canyon National Park actually has the world’s largest sequoia grove, including the General Sherman Tree, the world’s biggest living tree. Besides admiring the giant sequoias, you can hike, camp, ride horses, and enjoy other outdoor activities throughout the park’s glacial valley.

Since the best things to do in Kings Canyon National Park are all outdoors, the seasonal conditions you will find are very important. Keep reading to find out the best time to visit the park.

Overall Best Time to Visit Kings Canyon National Park

The best time to visit Kings Canyon National Park is during the summer, between late June and mid-September, when the weather is the best for exploring and most of the park’s amenities and trails are open.

Summer weather conditions are ideal for exploring Kings Canyon National Park. Although temperatures in the surrounding area can reach the high 90s, temperatures in the park are usually cooler due to the high altitudes.

Within the sequoia groves themselves, temperatures are also cool and pleasant, even during the hottest part of the day. Much of Kings Canyon National Park is located at high elevations.

The park contains several peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Palisades that are above 14,000 feet in elevation. Snow and cold weather stay on the mountains until late into spring, but by summer, even the highest trails are passable.

The park does receive the most visitors in the summer, but it doesn’t get nearly as crowded as other more popular California parks.

Most of the crowds concentrate around the most popular trails and park areas, such as Grant’s Grove. Once you get away from those areas, you can also get away from the crowds.

One of the benefits of visiting during one of the park’s more popular seasons is that you’ll have a lot more options for ranger-led activities and other programs. This is particularly a benefit for families with kids, as there is a lot of programming geared towards children during the summer.

Popular activities, many of which are only available in the summer, include:

• Horseback riding
• Wonders of the Night Sky stargazing tours
• Daily ranger talks in Grant and Cedar Grove

Other ranger-led activities include evening campfire stories, guided wildlife spotting walks, and sometimes craft and cultural demonstrations. Although ranger-led events happen all year round, the most events happen between June and August.

Kids can also take part in the Junior Ranger program, available throughout the U.S. National Parks system. If you are hoping to explore the true wild areas of the park (about 95% of the park is still a designated wilderness area, with no creature comforts at all), then summer is the best time to visit.

During the summer, you have a higher chance of all the trails you want to explore being passable, since some parts of the park retain snowpack until well into June.

The benefit of venturing into the backcountry is that even though you are visiting during the most popular time of the year, you will still see very few crowds.

Cheapest Time to Visit Kings Canyon National Park

The cheapest time to visit Kings Canyon National Park is during the winter, but you can also find some deals during the spring. The cost of visiting the park itself stays the same throughout the year.

Entry fees remain the same — $35 per car entering Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. If you are camping, those fees also stay the same throughout the year.

If you want sturdier accommodation, then you can find the best deals during the winter off-season. While the lodges inside the park itself close for the season, accommodation nearby is open year-round.

Motels and hotels often have lower room rates in the winter and well into spring to deal with lower demand. If you are flying into California before visiting Kings Canyon National Park, winter and early spring are the best times to visit.

Flights across the United States are discounted once the Christmas travel rush is over, so between January and early April (with the exception of Easter or spring break), flights are cheaper.

Prices increase somewhat in the spring, but not at the levels of peak season. You can still get discounts when visiting in April or May but enjoy more activities as the parks begin to open up.

The crisp weather makes for great hiking, especially as the wildflowers begin to bloom at lower elevations in Kings Canyon National Park and the waterfalls are at their peak thanks to snowmelt.

Least Busy Time to Visit Kings Canyon National Park

The least busy time to visit Kings Canyon National Park is the winter, although you can also avoid the worst of the crowds by visiting in the autumn.

Winter is by far the least popular time to visit Kings Canyon National Park as cold, snowy conditions close much of the park. However, if you are willing to brave the snow, exploring the snowy wonderland all by yourself can be very rewarding.

If you want to go hiking and see some of the more passable trails, but still want to avoid the worst of the summer crowds, then autumn is the best choice for you. By the time school vacation ends in early September, visitor numbers drop drastically, and you can have some trails all to yourself.

Fall is actually the best time of year for certain outdoor activities. According to some rangers, fall is the best time to go fishing in Kings Canyon National Park because the water level is low, making it easier to catch fish.

Rock climbing is also at its best during the fall. Many popular climbing sites such as Chimney Rock are actually closed in the spring and summer due to peregrine falcon nests, but reopen in the fall.

The weather gets a bit more unpredictable by mid-fall and expect snowfall by October. There are rainstorms during the fall, so check the forecast ahead of time. However, the changing weather means the park has spectacular sunsets.

Worst Time to Visit Kings Canyon National Park

The worst time to visit Kings Canyon National Park is during the winter, when many amenities and popular trails are closed. Winter is definitely the low season in Kings Canyon National Park.

Some campgrounds limit places or close altogether due to low demand. Popular accommodation options inside the park, such as Grant Grove Cabins or John Muir Lodge close until March.

The closures are not just due to low demand, but also due to logistics. Kings Canyon National Park is located high up in the mountains, which means that it gets lots of snow in the winter.

The snow makes large parts of the park impassable, including popular roads such as Generals Highway. Driving in the few parts of the park that stay open is only possible with winter tires. There is a certain charm to visiting during the winter.

Many families visit the Wolverton Snow Play Area, a rare opportunity for many California kids to experience snow. Ranger activities are reduced, but you can still join a free snowshoeing tour. Plus, you’ll have most of the park to yourself since few other people visit.

Frequently Asked Questions

These common questions about picking the right time to visit Kings Canyon National Park can also help you plan your trip:

So, What’s the Best Time to Visit Kings Canyon National Park?

For the best weather and the most activities, visit Kings Canyon National Park in the summer, although the other seasons all have their own beauty.