These Sequoia and Kings Canyon sights are listed in order, starting from just outside the Ash Mountain entrance near Three Rivers on CA 198.
- Mineral King: At 7,800 foot elevation, this subalpine valley lies at the end of a steep, narrow, winding road and is open only in the summer. It's the only part of the park's back country accessible by automobile, and even a short hike here is a real treat. Turn off CA 198 before you get to the Sequoia gate. In spring, beware of marmots here. They love to chew on electrical wires and radiator hoses, so lift your vehicle's hood and check before you start it.
- Crystal Cave: A marble cave filled with stalactites and stalagmites, Crystal Cave is open in the summer only and is not wheelchair accessible. Purchase tickets for the 45-minute, guided tour at the Foothills Visitor Center or Lodgepole. Be sure to wear sturdy shoes and take a jacket.
- Moro Rock: The top of this granite monlith feels a lot like the top of the world, with the Great Western Divide laid out on one side and California's Central Valley on the other. On a clear day, you can sometimes see as far as 150 miles from here. The 400-step staircase to the summit rises 300 feet, and the altitude can make the climb seem more difficult than it would be at sea level, but it's well worth the trip. Allow about one hour for the round trip.
- Tunnel Tree and Auto Log: Both of these attractions are found along the road to Moro Rock. Although you can't drive onto the Auto Log any more, you and all your companions can line up across the end of it for an "I was there" photo. Tunnel Log is the only "tree you can drive through" in the parks here, but if your vehicle is over eight feet tall, you'll have take the bypass around it.
- Giant Forest Museum: If Moro Rock makes you feel like you're on top of the world, the Giant Forest will bring back a sense of proportion as you compare yourself to the giant sequoias at this museum, housed in what was once a too-busy park store.
- General Sherman: The largest among the large trees, General Sherman is the most massive living thing on Earth, between 2,300 and 2,700 years old. Its largest branch is almost seven feet in diameter, and each year it adds enough wood growth to make a 60-foot-tall tree of usual proportions.
- Grant Grove: The General Grant Tree here is the world's third-largest, and is the nation's official Christmas tree. A 1/3-mile, wheelchair-accessible loop trail takes you past a settler's cabin and the Fallen Giant.
Highway 180 is closed at the Hume Lake cutoff from November 1 through late May. The sights below are not accessible during that time of year.
- Canyon View: This overlook is a good place to see the "U" shape of this glacier-carved canyon.
- Hume Lake: Located 3 miles off the main road between Grant Grove and Kings Canyon, this lake was built to supply water for a 67-mile flume that floated logs down to Sanger. Nowadays, it's a recreation area where you can swim or rent a boat and paddle around.
- Boyden Cavern: This privately-owned cavern charges an admission fee that's separate from the park entrance fee. Tours (45 minutes) leave about once an hour. You can get an admission discount coupon at their website.
- Kings Canyon: By some measurements, it's the deepest canyon in the United States, at 7,900 feet.
- Road's End: To cross the Sierra, you'd have to walk from here.
