Generals Highway from the Sequoia Park Entrance to Lodgepole Allow an hour one-way for this spectacular winding drive from the foothills to the sequoia groves. Because the road is narrow, length advisories are in place. Vehicles longer than 22 feet are not advised on the Generals Highway between Potwisha Campground and Giant Forest Museum, and vehicles longer than 24 feet are not advised between Foothills Visitor Center and Potwisha Campground.
Views extend up and down the Kaweah Canyon as the highway winds up alongside the rapidly descending river. At Hospital Rock, stop to see the Native American pictographs and mortars. Amphitheater Point This viewpoint offers an excellent side view of Moro Rock, along with views from the foothills up into alpine peaks. Eleven Range Overlook On clear days, views here can extend to California's Coast Range on the opposite side of the San Joaquin Valley. Beetle Rock A short hike from the Giant Forest Museum takes you to Beetle Rock, a flat expanse of granite with wide views. Crescent Meadow Consider taking the Moro Rock/Crescent Meadow side road to its end. The road ends at beautiful Crescent Meadow. Generals Highway from Lodgepole to Grant Grove Halstead Meadow
A bridge along the highway goes over the top of this large meadow. On the north side, a small picnic area and pit toilet offer a good place to stop. Black bears can sometimes be seen in the meadow in spring. At any time of year, wildflowers are common here. Redwood Mountain Overlook This pullout offers a view overlooking the world's largest intact sequoia grove. Kings Canyon Overlook
From here, look eastward deep into the wilderness of these parks. Grant Grove to the Kings Canyon and Cedar Grove Junction View This overlook offers excellent views of both the Middle Fork and the South Fork of Kings Canyon. Yucca Point Look almost straight down into foaming junction of the Middle Fork and the South Fork of the Kings River. Hwy 180 between Yucca Point and Boyden Cave Drive carefully along this section of the road blasted out of the nearly sheer walls of Kings Canyon. Stop frequently to appreciate the grandeur of this water-carved canyon. Boyden Cave A marble cave here is open for tours in summer. Nearby, notice the layers of marble sandwiched between strips of volcanic rock. Tremendous forces tipped these layers to a nearly vertical orientation. Grizzly Falls A 5-minute walk leads to impressive falls and a cool, shady spot on a warm day. Canyon View This pullout offers an excellent view of the U-shaped Kings Canyon, showing its glacial past. Roaring River Falls Feel the power of this short but mighty waterfall as it rushes through a narrow granite chute. The falls are are a short distance from the road along a paved trail. . Zumwalt Meadow An easy trail offers splendid views of high granite walls, a lush meadow, impressive talus, and the meandering Kings River. Walk a short way along an accessible boardwalk to the meadow's edge, or continue on a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) loop trail around the entire meadow. Roads End This area offers excellent views of high granite walls, access to river trails, and Muir Rock. |
Last updated: August 14, 2020