Hiking the General Grant Trail in Kings Canyon National Park

Looking for more great day hikes in Kings Canyon National Park?
Visit my Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks Hiking Guide for more incredible trails,
including the Big Stump Loop, Buena Vista, and Panoramic Point.

CURRENT INFO

For information about Grant Grove trails, including the General Grant Loop, visit the National Park Service website. Find reviews and maps on the AllTrails website. For a map showing the trail through Azalea Campground, go to the National Park Service webpage. Good maps and trail info are also available in the book Hike the Parks: Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks by Scott Turner.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Since the General Grant Loop is located within Kings Canyon National Park, you must present an America the Beautiful pass (or other national parks pass) or pay the $35 entrance fee (valid for up to seven days) when you enter the park. You can also purchase an annual pass at the park entrance. Check ahead of time to see if you qualify for a free pass — fourth graders and active military do! Fourth graders must print a voucher ahead of time to qualify.
• There is a parking lot next to the trailhead, as well as a restroom and picnic area.
• Please note that pets are not allowed on the trails.
• The trail is paved, making it accessible for many. It’s an understandably popular trail and can get crowded.
• Go early or later in the day, ideally on a weekday, to avoid congested trails.
• A visitor center is located few miles away in Grant Grove Village. Here you’ll find a gift shop, camp store, post office, restaurant, and more, as well as rangers on duty to answer questions.

HIGHLIGHTS

The Grant Grove Loop is a wonderful, easy introduction to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. As the name suggests, the General Grant Tree is the star. General Grant is one of the largest trees in the world (third largest, according to signage along the trail), and undeniably impressive. It’s hard to capture the scale of these trees in photos; giant sequoias must be experienced in person to appreciate their full grandeur. The General isn’t the only big tree in this grove — more massive monarchs of the forest await your upward gaze. To appreciate these giants on a different level, walk through the Fallen Monarch, a hollow sequoia log that once served as a stable for the U.S. cavalry.

THE KIDS’ TAKE

Initially, my kids weren’t enthused about the hike — they preferred to stay and explore at our campground. But once we reached the grove, they were in awe of the massive trees before us. Hiking through the Fallen Monarch was a big hit, as was checking out the Gamlin Cabin. Grant Grove is truly a great hike to engage all ages!

WHILE YOU’RE HERE

There is no shortage of things to see and do in Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. The Grant Grove section of Kings Canyon is an excellent home base, with large, beautiful campgrounds (we stayed at Azalea Campground), a lodge, and many other amenities, including a visitor center, camp store, and restaurant at Grant Grove Village. Looking for another short hike in the area? Check out Big Stump and its famous Mark Twain Tree (now just a gigantic stump) or head to Buena Vista or Panoramic Point for incredible views into the Sierras.

It was our first full day in Kings Canyon National Park. After arriving at Azalea Campground after dark the night before, we spent the day settling into our campsite, checking out Grant Grove Village, and hiking the nearby Big Stump trail. Now it was late afternoon and I had one more activity on the agenda: hiking from Azalea to the General Grant Tree. Despite some protests from the younger family members, I rounded everyone up and we headed out from campsite #65. You can also start from Sunset Campground, located south of Azalea, but it adds at least one more mile to the hike.

Azalea is a beautiful campground, and our walk gave us a good overview of the different sites. I didn’t know the exact location of the trail to the General Grant Tree, but knew it was somewhere down the hill to our left as we headed through the campground in a northerly direction. Eventually, I saw it below us, down a steep hillside. Carefully, we made our way to the path. Please note: you can avoid a steep descent by following the main road through the campground toward Grant Tree Road. The trail crosses the road within the campground, and a sign points the way to the Grant Tree. No need to strain your knees on this hike!

Soon after connecting with the official trail, we left the campground behind and came to Grant Tree Road. A crosswalk and trail sign clearly mark the way. Watch your little ones here, as the crosswalk is located just after a sharp curve in the road. The speed limit is relatively slow, but it’s always best to be cautious.

After crossing the road, we connected with the General Grant Loop in a matter of minutes. We checked out the fallen Michigan Tree, then took the trail to the right. Upon reaching the Tennessee Tree, a giant sequoia marked with an impressive forest fire scar, we turned left to start our counterclockwise loop around the grove.

Along the trail, interpretive signs give insight to the history, both human and natural, of these forest giants. My older son, J, was fascinated to feel the braille descriptions on one of the signs. Together with braille, cut-outs outlining the changing shape of the sequoia over the course of the tree’s lifespan provided a way for blind visitors to experience what they cannot see. It’s something we could definitely use more of along our trails.

After the Tennessee Tree, the next landmark was the Fallen Monarch. I knew the kids would be into this one — how often do you get to walk through an enormous hollowed-out log that once housed a saloon and a had a stint as horse stable? Not often! J and T fantasized about what they could do with such an amazing fort to call their own; the possibilities are endless!

We reached the end of the Fallen Monarch and rejoined the main trail (after taking a few minutes for a photo op, naturally). Next up was the California Tree (another giant Sequoia) and the Centennial Stump. The Centennial Stump has an interesting story, as it is all that remains of a giant sequoia that was cut down in 1875. The outer bark of the tree was reassembled in Philadelphia as part of a centennial exhibition to showcase the giant trees of the West. Unfortunately, and perhaps predictably for the times, the exhibit was a bust — Easterners thought it nothing more than a California hoax!

Past the Centennial Stump is the Gamlin Cabin. Originally built as a homestead, it was used as a storehouse after General Grant National Park (now Sequoia National Park) was founded in 1890. Later, it housed the first park ranger assigned to this section of the park. Both my boys thought it would make a nice summer cabin, although I’m not sure how well they’d enjoy living there year-round.

We then approached the grand finale, the General Grant Tree. Like anything outsized, it’s hard for us humans to understand the scale of such a large tree. Tempting as it is to walk up and give the General Grant a hug to see just how far our arms might reach across its mighty trunk, a fence prevents visitors from getting up close and personal. This is hardly surprising, as the General Grant Loop is one of the most visited sights in the park. Keeping a distance protects the tree from those who might cause harm, and prevents root damage that can occur from too many trampling feet.

So it was that we admired the General Grant from a distance, straining our necks upward to take in its full height. A sign near the tree provided some perspective. For example, according to the sign, it would take around 20 people to encircle the tree while holding hands. As for volume, the General Grant’s trunk has room for 159,000 basketballs, or 37 million ping-pong balls!

At this point, our loop through Grant Grove was nearly done. We walked back past the Tennessee Tree and continued on the trail back to the campground. J ran ahead, eager to do more exploring of his own. I rambled slowly, enjoying the fresh early evening air. Back at camp, it was time to prepare dinner and light a campfire. It was, indeed, the perfect end to our first day in Kings Canyon.