California Archives - Just Ahead

Just Ahead’s Sequoia and Kings Canyon Trip Planner

September 30, 2019 Bob Howells

Welcome to Just Ahead’s Sequoia and Kings Canyon Trip Planner—our guide to what you need to know to plan your trip to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Click here to see the complete series—and be sure to download our Just Ahead smartphone audio tour of Sequoia and Kings Canyon before you leave. We’ll steer you to and through the parks and point out their inspiring viewpoints and scenic wonders—plus we share entertaining and educational stories all along the way. It’s like having a friendly tour guide along for the ride.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks—two adjacent parks that are managed as one unit—rise from the rolling foothills of central California to the heights of the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains. Both parks are open year-round, but much of the land is high in the Sierra Nevada, so expect some seasonal road closures. Be sure to check the park’s website for the latest info. Winter, of course, has its own beauty and charm, and you’ll find lodging and even some campgrounds open no matter when you visit.

What Are the Best Sights to See in Sequoia and Kings Canyon?

September 30, 2019 Bob Howells

This post is part of Just Ahead’s Sequoia and Kings Canyon Trip Planner—our guide to what you need to know to plan your trip to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Click here to see the complete series. And be sure to download our Just Ahead smartphone audio tour of Sequoia and Kings Canyon before you head to the parks.

Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park are renowned for the world’s most massive trees, which thrive in both parks. But the parks comprise more than giant trees. They’re filled with amazing viewpoints, geological marvels, American Indian petroglyphs, lakes, rivers, meadows, and caverns. Following is our personal list of don’t-miss sights in the parks. Naturally, Just Ahead’s Sequoia and Kings Canyon audio tour guide carries you along some of the country’s most spectacular roads to these sites and more.

1024px-United_States_-_California_-_Sequoia_National_Park_-_General_Sherman_Tree_-_Panorama

The General Sherman Tree—world’s largest tree.

General Sherman Tree
No visit to Sequoia is complete without paying homage to the world’s largest tree, the General Sherman. It stands 274.9 feet tall, has a circumference of 102.6 feet, and a diameter of 36.5 feet. Consider this impressive stat: At 180 feet above the ground, the General Sherman tree still has a diameter of 14 feet. The General Sherman is the centerpiece of a grove of majestic giant sequoias. You can feast on plenty more by walking the two-mile Congress Trail, which begins at the General Sherman. Along the way are the Chief Sequoyah and the President—third-largest tree in the world.

Hospital Rock
In many national parks, you have to hike a long distance to see ancient rock art, and even then you may not find it. Park rangers, fearing vandalism, are often reluctant to share precise locations. But in Sequoia, Hospital Rock, a giant boulder decorated with crimson-colored paintings, is right beside the road (Generals Highway)—you can just drive up and have a look. As with so many rock paintings, no one knows exactly who painted them or what they mean. It’s fun to speculate—some look like humans, others like animals or stars. The rock is on the site of a 19th-century Potwisha Indian settlement, but the paintings were probably not the work of the Potwisha, but rather that of earlier native people.

Where Should I Stay in Sequoia and Kings Canyon?

September 30, 2019 Bob Howells

Where to Stay in Sequoia and Kings Canyon: Wuksachi Lodge

Wuksachi Lodge, Sequoia National Park

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park lodging ranges from signiture inns in both parks to simple cabins. You’ll also find some private accommodations near the heart of both parks, as well as options just outside the parks.

Where to Stay in Sequoia National Park

Wuksachi Lodge
With its stone-and-cedar construction and dramatic view of the Sierra Nevada, Waksuchi has the feel of a classic national park lodge, yet it’s thoroughly modern—built in 1999. The 102-room lodge is near Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park, yet enjoys a quiet, secluded location just off Generals Highway. It’s open year-round. The cedar-paneled main lodge building has a restaurant with huge picture windows and a excellent little shop that sells outdoor gear as well as souvenirs and various necessities. The main lodge also offers free wifi.

Where Should I Camp in Sequoia and Kings Canyon?

September 30, 2019 Bob Howells

Where to Camp in Sequoia and Kings Canyon: Giant Forest

Photo: MorroElsie/Creative Commons

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks have 14 campgrounds, most of which are first-come, first-served; no reservations. A few accept reservations through recreation.gov. Most of the campgrounds accommodate RVs, but none of them have RV hookups. Campgrounds provide storage lockers to protect your food from bears and other hungry park creatures. You’ll also find camping in Sequoia National Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument, both of which are adjacent to the parks.

Foothills Area, Sequoia National Park

South Fork
Tucked away in the far southwest corner of Sequoia National Park, this 10-site, tents-only campground is fairly isolated and has no potable water from October to May. It sits at 3,600 feet, meaning it’s more oak habitat than evergreen. But it’s open year-round and may have a site when others are full.

Potwisha
Potwisha lies in an oak-shaded setting in Sequoia National Park on the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River. As the lowest campground in the park (2,100 feet), it’s likely to be the warmest as well, at any time of year. It has 42 sites, some of which can be reserved year-round through recreation.gov.

Just Ahead’s Yosemite Trip Planner

August 31, 2019 Bob Howells

Welcome to Just Ahead’s Yosemite Trip Planner—our guide to what you need to know to plan your trip to Yosemite National Park. Click here to see the complete series—and be sure to download our Just Ahead smartphone audio tour of Yosemite before you leave. We’ll steer you to and through the park and point out its inspiring viewpoints and scenic wonders—plus we share entertaining and educational stories all along the way. It’s like having a friendly tour guide along for the ride.

Just Ahead's Yosemite Trip Planner: Yosemite Falls from Glacier Point

Yosemite Falls from Glacier Point. Photo: Kenny Karst/DNC Parks and Resorts at Yosemite, Inc.

Yosemite National Park is a place of awe-inspiring beauty, where you’ll see granite monoliths towering 3,000 feet above placid meadows…giant sequoia trees nearly 300 feet tall and 25 feet in diameter…and waterfalls as high as 2,400 feet. Yosemite Valley is by far the most popular part of the park, but it represents less than one percent of its land area. There’s much more to see in Yosemite, and Just Ahead’s Yosemite audio tour guides you to all the best places in the park.

What Are the Best Sights to See in Yosemite?

August 31, 2019 Bob Howells

Yosemite has too many amazing sights to distill them down into a handful, but we’ve done our best here to highlight our Top 10 Best Sights in Yosemite that you absolutely should not miss during a visit to the park, plus a bonus 5 Sights in Yosemite You Shouldn’t Overlook. Any one of them, in either category, is alone worth a visit. Naturally, our Just Ahead audio guide to Yosemite steers you to all of them

Glacier Point offers a bird’s eye view of Half Dome and beyond. Photo: DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite.

Top 10 Best Sights in Yosemite

Glacier Point
If you’ve never ventured out to Glacier Point, you’ve missed one of the world’s most sublime views. You might pick out your campsite in Yosemite Valley, more than 3,000 feet below. Across the way looms Half Dome, and off to the right are Nevada and Vernal Falls. The tall peaks of the Clark Range and Yosemite’s high country form an inspiring backdrop. Hint: In peak season, try to start the 16-mile side trip before 10 a.m. or after 4:30 p.m. We point out all the highlights along this extraordinarily beautiful drive, which is closed in winter.

Bridalveil Fall
Bridalveil is the Old Faithful of Yosemite waterfalls. When other waterfalls slow to a trickle in late summer or early fall, Bridalveil maintains a semblance of its fully flowing beauty. Hint: Don’t just view it from afar. Make the walk to its base—620 feet of wind-whipped mist will spritz you as you approach on the half-mile walk.

Where Should I Stay in Yosemite?

August 31, 2019 Bob Howells

This post is part of Just Ahead’s Yosemite Trip Planner—our guide to what you need to know to plan your trip to Yosemite National Park. Click here to see the complete series. And be sure to download our Just Ahead smartphone audio tour of Yosemite before you head to the park. (Note: Due to a trademark dispute, several Yosemite lodges now bear new names. To avoid confusion, we are using both the traditional names and the new names in the text below.)

Yosemite and vicinity are blessed with lodging that ranges from world-class beauties like the Ahwahnee and Tenaya Lodge to simple tent cabins that provide a more affordable way to sleep in comfort amid the beauty of the park. We cover all of the lodging in Yosemite here, including few outside-the-park options that offer rooms within 10 or so miles of the park boundary. And, of course, we point out all of them in the course of our Just Ahead audio tour of Yosemite. No matter where you’re headed, be sure to make reservations well in advance. Though it’s possible to get lucky, you should never count on it.

Where to Stay in Yosemite: Ahwahnee Hotel (Majestic Yosemite Hotel)

The Ahwahnee Hotel (now called the Majestic Yosemite Hotel) blends beautifully with its environment. Photo: Kenny Karst/DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite, Inc.

Yosemite Valley Lodging

Ahwahnee Hotel
The Ahwahnee Hotel (now known as the Majestic Yosemite Hotel), is the marquee lodging in Yosemite, if not the entire national park system. Its log-and-stone construction and Native American décor honor the beauty and history of the surroundings. And what majestic surroundings: Floor-to-ceiling windows frame views of Half Dome, Glacier Point, and the Royal Arch Cliffs. Massive sugar-pine beams and dark, ponderosa pine paneling add to the elegant rusticity of the place. The Ahwahnee has 99 rooms and 24 cottages, but its greatness lies in its public spaces—the Great Lounge, dining room, solarium, and bar—and the way its architecture blends in with its backdrop. All of that is testimony to the skill of its architect, Gilbert Stanley Underwood, who also designed lodges in Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. Whether or not you choose to stay there, the Ahwahnee is worth a visit—in fact, we’ve included it in our Best of Yosemite listings. Hot tip: The Ahwahnee’s cottages were recently re-done to better reflect their late-1920s vintage. They’re probably the most desirable rooms in the park.

Yosemite Valley Lodge
Yosemite Valley Lodge strikes a compromise between the expensive Ahwahnee and the summer-camp flavor of Curry Village. The location is brilliant—as the name suggests, the sprawling, 245-room lodge is near the base of Lower Yosemite Fall in the heart of Yosemite Valley. With two restaurants, bike rentals, and an activities desk, it’s very busy place, but an ideal home base for exploring all that Yosemite has to offer.

Where Should I Camp in Yosemite?

August 31, 2019 Bob Howells

Camping under the stars in Yosemite sounds like a dream, and it is. However, it’s a dream shared by many others. Although the park has 13 campgrounds, many of them are seasonal, and most are in great demand. When it comes to deciding where to camp in Yosemite, the key is to plan ahead for campgrounds that take reservations, and to arrive early for campgrounds that don’t. The park’s most popular campgrounds take reservations through recreation.gov, but to nab a site in one of them, you need to think in terms of getting tickets for a big rock concert. Get on the website ready to start clicking promptly at 7 a.m. Pacific time on the 15th of the month, five months in advance of your month of arrival.

Sights like this are not far from your tent flap when you camp in Yosemite.

So what should you do if you arrive during a busy season with no reservations? If you have cell-phone reception, you can call the park’s campsite availability hotline at 209-372-0266. Most likely it will steer you to one of the campgrounds outside Yosemite Valley that has sites on a first-come, first-served basis. Best advice for getting one of those sites is to first verify that the campground is open (call the hotline or check with a ranger), and then to arrive by 8:30 or so in the morning. Sites generally fill up by noon, earlier on weekends. The one Valley campground that is first-come, first served is Camp Four. The same advice applies: Get there early.

All campgrounds accept RVs unless noted in the write-ups that follow. As for amenities, as a general rule, expect tables, fire pits, running water, toilets, and bearproof food lockers. Exceptions are noted below.

Naturally, Just Ahead points out all of these campgrounds as you drive through Yosemite.

Yosemite Valley Campgrounds

The Pines
The Pines Campgrounds: Upper Pines, Lower Pines, and North Pines, are what most people think of when they think of Yosemite camping: big spaces under tall pines with views of Half Dome and Glacier Point. The three campgrounds are adjacent to one another near Curry Village at the east end of Yosemite Valley. They have 379 sites altogether, and many will accommodate large RVs. Upper is open year-round; the others are open roughly from early spring through mid-fall. These campgrounds are especially suitable for families and people who enjoy a very social camping atmosphere. All sites can be reserved through recreation.gov.

Camp Four
Camp Four is a walk-in campground for tents only, but the sites are quite close to the parking area. Think car camping without your car right next to your tent. The campground is open year-round, with 35 sites. As we describe in our Best of Yosemite post, Camp Four is the center of Yosemite’s rock-climbing culture, and primarily populated by climbers.

When Is the Best Time to Visit Death Valley?

June 26, 2019 Bob Howells

This post is part of Just Ahead’s Death Valley Trip Planner—our guide to everything you need to know to plan your trip to Death Valley National Park. Click here to see the complete series, and be sure to download our Just Ahead smartphone audio tour of Death Valley before you head to the park.

When is the best time to visit Death Valley? Anytime! With a caveat: Summer in Death Valley is, no surprise, hot. How hot is it? Before we get to the punch line, let’s look at the other seasons in Death Valley.

Spring in Death Valley

For most people, this is the most pleasant time to visit Death Valley. The weather is perfect—days mostly in the 70s and 80s, nights in the 50s and 60s. Those temps warm up to the 90s in late April and can start hitting 100 in May. If there’s been a dollop or two of winter rain, wildflowers will be abundant in early spring. Spring is also the park’s busiest season, so be sure to reserve your lodging in advance. If you’re camping, know that most sites are first-come, first-served, though you can book sites at Furnace Creek Campground in advance through recreation.gov. Click here for our advice about camping in Death Valley. And click here to learn about Death Valley lodging.

Winter rains can bring out dazzling springtime wildflower blooms in Death Valley. NPS photo.

Just Ahead’s Death Valley Trip Planner

June 25, 2019 Bob Howells

Welcome to Just Ahead’s Death Valley Trip Planner—our guide to everything you need to know to plan your trip to Death Valley National Park. Click here to see the complete series, and be sure to download our Just Ahead smartphone audio tour of Death Valley before you head to the park.

Death Valley National Park is a great road-trip destination. It’s not difficult to get to or to drive through, but planning a trip there requires more than just throwing a few things into the car. It’s a remote desert area with long distances between services. Which route should you take? Will you camp or stay in park lodging? What should you pack?

Once you’re under way, the Just Ahead app turns your smartphone into a narrated audio tour of the park, and we tell you what you need to know as you drive along. It’s the most pleasurable way possible to visit Death Valley National Park.

But there’s much to know before you go, and that’s why we’ve pulled together our years of experience of visiting Death Valley into Just Ahead’s Death Valey Trip Planner. Topics include:

What's Ahead? The Just Ahead Blog

Where to Stay in Sequoia National Park

Foothills Area, Sequoia National Park

Top 10 Best Sights in Yosemite

Yosemite Valley Lodging

Yosemite Valley Campgrounds

Spring in Death Valley