Hiking to Panoramic Point 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 General Grant Grove, the Big Stump Loop, and Buena Vista.
For a great home base, camp nearby at Azalea Campground.

CURRENT INFO

For more information about Panoramic Point, visit the National Park Service website. Find reviews and maps on the AllTrails website. 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 Panoramic Point 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 at the trailhead, as well as a vault toilet and picnic tables.
• Please note that pets are not allowed on the trail.
• The trail to Panoramic Point is paved and accessible, although somewhat steep. Follow the trail in a clockwise direction, and be aware that one section of the trail is unpaved if you continue on the clockwise loop from Panoramic Point. If you prefer the paved trail, return the way you came instead.
• To many, this trail is too short to count as a hike, but it takes a little time and effort to get here, and is well worth the trip. Besides, we need more short, accessible trails to help more visitors experience these beautiful places.
• Those wishing to hike longer can head from Panoramic Point to Park Ridge Fire Lookout for a five-mile out-and-back hike.
• The road to Panoramic Point from the Grant Grove Visitor Center is steep, winding, and narrow. You don’t need four-wheel drive or high clearance, but be prepared for a slow, bumpy two-mile drive. Please use caution on corners with low visibility.

HIGHLIGHTS

Panoramic Point offers gorgeous views from an uncrowded vantage point. We were so glad we made the effort to drive up here, especially at golden hour. With the sun slowly setting behind you, shimmering golden light illuminates the landscape. Sunrise is another fantastic time to visit. Regardless of the time of day, the views here are truly panoramic, and worth a quick stop or lingering ridge hike.

THE KIDS’ TAKE

Another hike? Our visit to Panoramic Point came at the end of a long day, so the kids were less than enthusiastic. But even they had to admit that this short walk to a beautiful viewpoint hardly counted as a hike. They zipped along the paved path, more interested in making silly poses than the amazing view before us. But isn’t that what being a kid’s all about? Ultimately, a good time was had by all.

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 more short hikes in the area? Check out the incredible General Grant Grove, head to Buena Vista for endless views into the Sierras, or get up close and personal with fallen giants at Big Stump.

Tokopah Falls, the General Sherman Tree, Beetle Rock, and pizza on the deck at Wuksachi Lodge — our day had been a full one. Still, we couldn’t resist one last stop before heading back to Azalea Campground for the night. After all, Panoramic Point was merely a few miles from the campground. How could we not?

Those two miles to Panoramic Point turned out to be a bit more arduous than expected. Our Mazda CX-5 bumped and lurched over potholes, climbing slowly but surely up the hill. The kids complained that we would never get there. Then, lo and behold, a paved parking lot appeared. We had reached our destination.

Our oldest son, J, took to the paved trail right away, but 5-year-old T needed some coaxing. We promised that it was a short hike, but he remained unconvinced. Finally, he grudgingly started up the path.

The trail to Panoramic Point is indeed short. The viewpoint appears a mere quarter mile from the parking lot. Ahead of us, Michael had already caught a glimpse of the view, and he was impressed:

Wow! With the soft evening light bathing the distant peaks of the Sierra Nevada, we had arrived at the perfect time. Others, too, began to gather at the various viewpoints overlooking Kings Canyon. When we arrived, ours was the only car in the lot. Now, a handful of others made their way to the point, but with no more than a dozen visitors in total, it was hardly busy.

At one of the overlooks, interpretive signage identified several of the mountain peaks on view. Hume Lake could be seen in the valley below, a thin sliver of blue surrounded by evergreens. Tomorrow, we were headed for Hume Lake Campground, where we would spend the next four nights. I couldn’t wait to experience the lake up close.

Before we made our way back down, J suggested we take some photos together. As a mom who seldom makes it into any of my own photos, I was game. “Let’s pose like Egyptians!” J cried. Indeed, why not?

We slowly ambled back down the hill from Panoramic Point, continuing clockwise on the loop trail before meeting up with the main trail leading back to the parking lot. OK, in fairness the adults slowly ambled, while the kids raced. Isn’t that always the way?

Back at the car, the golden glow around us faded as the sun set. We prepared for the rough ride back to Azalea Campground, savoring the final moments of a full, beautiful day of exploring in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.