Last updated on March 18th, 2026
Looking to spend just one day in Sequoia National Park? We’re sharing the perfect Sequoia National Park itinerary if you’re short on time!
Home to both the largest trees in the world, plus the highest point in the lower 48, Sequoia National Park is a park of epic proportions. Here you can wander among giant beasts, climb up a unique trail to a sweeping view of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and see rushing waterfalls. It’s a park full of wonders around every corner!
And while you can (and should!) spend more than one day in Sequoia National Park, if you’re on a big California National Parks road trip, one day may be all you have. So if you’re looking to experience the park’s best sights in just one day, we’re sharing the ultimate Sequoia National Park itinerary to help you plan the perfect day in the park!
Check out more California National Park resources
- Plan the Ultimate California National Parks Road Trip! (3 itineraries)
- The 17 Best Things to Do in Sequoia National Park
- General Sherman Tree & Congress Trail: The Ultimate Giant Sequoia Hike!
- 15 Fun Things to Do in Kings Canyon National Park
- The Ultimate Yosemite National Park itinerary: Options for 1-6 days!
- The 33+ BEST things to do in Yosemite National Park
- Visiting Santa Cruz Island at Channel Islands National Park
- The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Death Valley National Park
- A Perfect One Day in Joshua Tree National Park Itinerary
- The BEST Day Hike in Pinnacles National Park
- The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Redwood National Park
- See more California National Park guides
About this one day in Sequoia National Park itinerary
Before we dive into this one day Sequoia National Park itinerary, a couple things to note!
First, it will be impossible to experience everything in the park in just one day. So this itinerary is based on our personal favorite stops in Sequoia National Park. We’re focusing on the area near the Giant Forest and Lodgepole, as it’s loaded with a wide variety of things to do, allowing you to experience more without lots of driving around.
But for more ideas on things to do, plus more helpful planning logistics, check out our list of 17 fun things to do in Sequoia National Park!
And lastly, this Sequoia National Park itinerary is only for Sequoia National Park. To add on Kings Canyon National Park (which is just next door!), we’d recommend a second day. And for ideas of what to do there, check on our list of the best things to do in Kings Canyon National Park!
One day in Sequoia National Park map
One day in Sequoia National Park itinerary
Visit General Sherman
If there’s only one thing you can do during your one day in Sequoia National Park, it must be visiting General Sherman! This is the largest tree in the world at 274.9 feet tall, a circumference on the ground of 102.6 feet, and a total volume of 52,508 cubic feet.
While there are taller trees and wider trees, General Sherman contains more wood, or volume, in its trunk than any other tree on Earth!
Visiting General Sherman requires walking about 0.4 miles (one way), down a paved pathway. It’s all downhill, so be prepared for the uphill climb on the way back! Along the way you’ll pass different Giant Sequoias, but you’ll know when you reached General Sherman, as it has a nice nameplate letting you know which one it is.
At General Sherman you are able to walk all around the tree, allowing you to see it from all angles. There is also some informative signage that shares some of the tree’s impressive stats!
A+K Tip: We highly recommend visiting General Sherman first thing in the morning, as it’s the most popular thing to do in Sequoia National Park! The parking lot is pretty large, but it can fill up mid-day. We personally went right at sunrise and hardly encountered anyone else. So for solitude and easier photo opps, go very early!
Continue onto the Congress Trail
After visiting General Sherman, instead of heading back to the parking lot, continue onto the Congress Trail. This is our personal favorite Giant Sequoia hike in the park! And in our opinion, the best spot to photograph the Giant Sequoias.
Similar to the General Sherman Trail, the Congress Trail is paved. Along the way you’ll wander through beautiful groves of Giant Sequoias. Including a few groups of trees named after different levels of government, like the House and Senate. Hence the name, Congress Trail.
While these trees may not be as big as General Sherman, they are still massive. And since you can walk between them more easily, it really puts into perspective just how giant these trees are!
To learn more about hiking the Congress Trail, as well as General Sherman, check out our full trail guide!
Hike to Tokopah Falls
Sequoia National Park is more than just big trees! For the next stop on your one day in Sequoia National Park itinerary, head to Tokopah Falls!
This is a 1,200 foot tall waterfall that cascades down multiple levels. And if you visit in the late spring, it will likely be raging!
To get to Tokopah Falls, you will hike along a river, with views of jagged peaks, before arriving at a viewpoint of the lower levels of the falls. There are lots of rocks to sit on at the end of the trail, making it the perfect spot for a picnic lunch. So make sure to pack something to enjoy! Or you can grab a bite to eat afterwards at the Lodgepole Market & Grill.
Visit the Giant Forest Museum
Next up, head to the Giant Forest Museum to learn more about the park’s famous Giant Sequoias. These trees, which are part of the Redwood family, only grow on the western slopes of California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains, between 4,000 and 8,000 feet. And around ⅓ of all naturally occurring sequoias grow in both Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
At the museum you can find a small park shop, access to rangers, and a small FREE museum. This museum has exhibits about the lifecycle of the Giant Sequoia, including information about how vital fires are to Giant Sequoias. There’s also an interactive display where you can see how you’d fare as a seedling!
If you have time, you can also walk the short and easy Big Trees Trail from here!
A+K Tip: Parking can be a bit rough here, so pack your patience when heading here, especially mid-day. If visiting during the park’s shuttle season, you could take the free shuttle to this area from Lodgepole, near Tokopah Falls.
Walk or drive through Tunnel Log
One of the more unique things to do in Sequoia National Park is visit Tunnel Log. This is a tree that you can drive or walk through! Which is a fun experience you can only have in very few places in the world.
This 275 foot tall Sequoia fell across the road in late 1937 and the following summer, a 17 foot wide and 8 foot tall tunnel was cut through to make it a visitor attraction. If you’re like us and drive a larger vehicle, don’t worry, there is a bypass! You can park before the tunnel log as well (assuming there is space) and then walk under it.
A+K Tip: Tunnel Log, Hanging Rock, and Moro Rock are all located along Crescent Meadow Road and Moro Rock Loop. These roads have a seasonal closure in the winter and early spring. If it’s closed during your visit (like it was for us), you can walk to them from the Giant Forest Museum. It’s about a 5 mile hike! If the road is open, you can either drive it yourself or take the free park shuttle. Parking spots are very limited!
Hike to Hanging Rock
After Tunnel Log, make your way to the Hanging Rock Trail. This is a super short, 0.3 mile (round trip) hike, with an awesome payoff. As the name implies, you will hike to a rock that is precariously hanging on the edge of a cliff. But beyond that, you’ll also have fantastic views of the Kaweah River Valley and of Moro Rock. Which is where you’re heading next!
Climb up Moro Rock for sunset
And to end your one day in Sequoia National Park, climb up Moro Rock! This is easily one of the best hikes in Sequoia National Park!
Moro Rock is a granite dome, sort of like a very mini Half Dome at Yosemite. It’s only 0.5 miles (round trip) to get to the top, but to get there you will climb up 350 steps etched into the granite walls. It is a fun and unique adventure!
And once at the summit, there is a relatively large area (blocked off by railing for safety!) with unreal views of the jagged peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. If you’re able to, we highly suggest doing this hike for sunset. Seeing these peaks illuminate with a pink alpenglow was the perfect way to end our day in the park!
A+K Tip: This trail can be narrow and there are drop offs, but there are also handrails to hold onto for extra safety. We never once felt unsafe, but if you’re afraid of heights, this hike may not be for you.
Planning your one day in Sequoia National Park
When to visit Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park is open year-round, but for this Sequoia National Park itinerary we recommend visiting between May–September. This is when all of these trails will be accessible and (most-likely) snow free. Plus more park services will be open! We personally visited in late May, just before Memorial Day. The weather was perfect, the crowds weren’t too bad yet, and the waterfalls were raging.
Just keep in mind that the Giant Forest and Lodgepole region of the park sits at around 6,700-6,900 feet in elevation. So temperatures, especially in the morning and evening, can be pretty chilly. Even in the summer! You can check the weather forecast for all areas of the park here.
Where to stay for your one day in Sequoia National Park
Since you’ll have limited time with just one day in Sequoia National Park, we highly recommend staying in the park itself! Or in the neighboring Kings Canyon National Park. This will eliminate a long drive getting to and from the park.
There are 7 front country campgrounds in Sequoia National Park, as well as 7 more in the neighboring Kings Canyon. Two of these, Potwisha (Sequoia) and Azalea (Kings Canyon), are open year-round. The sites vary, but none have electric hookups. Make sure to book in advance, as they do fill up!
Besides camping, there are also a handful of lodges and cabins you can stay at. During our visit we stayed at the Crystal Springs Campground at Kings Canyon, plus boondocked in the National Forest between the two parks. Big Meadows Road is a popular boondocking spot, but it fills up FAST, especially in May, when part of the road is closed.
Tips for your one day in Sequoia National Park
Leave No Trace
Before kicking off your one day in Sequoia National Park, please review the Leave No Trace principles to ensure you leave every place better than you found it so that others can enjoy these beautiful places for many years to come!
These seven principles include planning ahead and preparing, hiking and camping on durable surfaces, disposing of waste properly (pack out what you pack in!), understanding campfire rules and always fully extinguishing your fires, respecting wildlife, and being considerate of other visitors.
Entrance Fee
It costs $35 per vehicle to enter Sequoia National Park, which is good for both Sequoia and Kings Canyon, up to one week. We highly recommend getting the America the Beautiful pass, which is $80 per year and gets you into all National Park Service managed sites and federal lands for free.
Dogs are NOT allowed on trails
If you’re bringing your pet with you to the park, keep in mind that they are ONLY allowed on fully paved roads, in parking lots, at picnic areas, and at campgrounds. All of which require them to be on a 6 foot leash. They are NOT allowed on any trails in Sequoia or Kings Canyon National Parks.
Curious what we do with Kona when she cannot join us on a hike? Read this guide about how we travel full time with a dog.
Download offline maps
In many areas of the park there is little to no cell service. We recommend downloading Google Maps for offline use. You’ll want to have the area of the park downloaded so that you can get between places, even if you don’t have cell service. While the park has good signage, some spots are easy to miss, so it’s nice to have Google Maps to direct you.
We also suggest downloading offline AllTrails maps so you can navigate on hikes even without cell service.
Want to get 30% off an AllTrails Plus membership? Use our code aplusk30 (you must redeem this code on the website, not the app)!
We use AllTrails Plus on every single hike and it is the most helpful hiking tool out there! Some of the features we love are offline maps (so we can navigate even without cell service), wrong-turn alerts, and its 3D maps feature, so we can get a feel for trails before we hike.
Be bear aware
The park is home to hundreds of American black bears. Not only do you need to be bear aware while hiking (and know what to do if you see one), but you also need to practice proper food storage. When bears get access to human food they often get aggressive. This can lead to the bear being killed in order to protect humans.
Not only that, the food storage rules in the park are backed by federal law and disobeying can result in a fine. Anything with a scent (even toiletry items) must be properly stored.
And as backwards as it may sound, bear spray is not allowed in any California National Park, including Sequoia. During our time in the park, we didn’t see a single bear. But they are not uncommon to see!
What to pack for your one day in Sequoia National Park
This Sequoia National Park itinerary includes a good amount of hiking, so you will want to bring proper outdoor and hiking gear. To see everything we take hiking, check out our hiking gear as well as our guide about how to make a 10 essentials kit.
But here are a few items we want to especially recommend bringing to the park!
Proper hiking shoes
The trails in Sequoia National Park range in terrain. Some are smooth and easy to walk on, while others may be rocky or wet. Having good hiking shoes is key for safety! We both love our Altra Lone Peaks, as they are less bulky than boots, but have good traction. They are also great for hiking in water, as they dry fast!
Layers
As we mentioned, the areas covered in this Sequoia National Park itinerary sit at over 6,700 feet in elevation. Make sure to pack layers for the mornings and evenings! Plus bring along rain gear, just in case the weather takes a wet turn.
Sun Protection
Some hikes in Sequoia National Park are very exposed to the sun. So you’ll definitely want to bring a sun hoodie, hat, sunscreen, and sunglasses. Adam wears KALIYADI sunglasses and Kathryn wears Ray-Bans.
Water
Make sure to pack lots of water! There are water fountains at the Visitor Center and at campgrounds if you need to fill up, but our 3L Camelbak bladders helped ensure we had enough water throughout the day.
And since you’re at a higher altitude and will be very active, we recommend bringing LMNT to help you stay hydrated. If you use this link, you get a free sample pack (8 packets!) with any order!
Packed lunch & snacks
While there are some places to grab a quick bite to eat or snack in Sequoia National Park, we personally would suggest bringing (and cooking) your own food to save money. If you need snack ideas, you can see a list of our favorite hiking snacks here!
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