Where to Eat in Sequoia and Kings Canyon: Restaurants in and Around the Parks
The short answer. Inside the parks, three food stops cover most needs: The Peaks Restaurant at Wuksachi Lodge for a sit-down meal with a forest view, the cafeterias at Lodgepole and Grant Grove Village, and a seasonal snack bar at Cedar Grove in Kings Canyon. If you're staying outside the parks, Three Rivers, at the southern entrance on Highway 198, is the natural stop. Fresno and Visalia offer more options for stays outside the parks.
Eating in the Parks: Lodges, Restaurants, and Cafeterias
Food service in the parks is limited, spread across the main developed areas, and largely seasonal. During the off-season, from November through late May depending on snowfall, several places close without notice. Check hours on the NPS website before you go.
Wuksachi Lodge (Giant Forest / Lodgepole area)
Wuksachi Lodge has the park's two most comfortable dining options.
The Peaks Restaurant serves lunch and dinner, with breakfast in the morning. The menu focuses on seasonal California cuisine, including carefully prepared hot dishes, local ingredients during the high season, and views of the giant pines. Expect to pay $18 to $35 for a dinner entrée. This is the only place in the parks where you'll really want to linger. Reservations are recommended in July and August.
Wuksachi Pizza Deck is open only in summer. It serves pizza, sandwiches, and drinks to go on a wooded deck. It's quick and casual, making it a good choice after a long day on the trails.
The lodge sits along Generals Highway, just minutes from Giant Forest Museum. Our Hotels and Lodges guide covers rooms and rates.
Lodgepole Village (Lodgepole area)
Lodgepole Grill and Snack Bar is generally open from late May through early September. The menu includes burgers, hot dogs, and simple hot meals. It's convenient if you're camping in the area or passing through on Generals Highway around lunchtime.
A market next door, described below, rounds out the options for picnickers and campers who are cooking for themselves.
Grant Grove Village (Grant Grove area, Kings Canyon)
Grant Grove Restaurant is the main sit-down option on the Kings Canyon side. It serves straightforward family-style food, with burgers and daily specials. It's open seasonally, with shorter hours outside summer. Call before setting out so you don't arrive to an unpleasant surprise.
Cedar Grove (Cedar Grove area, Kings Canyon)
Cedar Grove Snack Bar operates only in summer, when Kings Canyon Scenic Byway is open. It serves sandwiches, snacks, and drinks for visitors heading down toward Roads End. The selection is limited, but that's not a problem. Cedar Grove is a hiking area, with Zumwalt Meadow and Mist Falls, and a good homemade picnic works better than any snack at the end of the road.
Groceries and Picnics in the Parks
Three markets cover basic self-catering needs.
Lodgepole Market has the best selection, including canned goods, fruit, a limited amount of fresh produce, camping supplies, and firewood. Grant Grove Market and Cedar Grove Market, which is open only in summer, have smaller selections that are enough to fill out a cooler or cover the essentials.
The two parks have plenty of picnic areas, many of them shaded and equipped with bear-proof trash cans. The Sequoia and Kings Canyon map will help you find spots near points of interest.
Never leave food in your vehicle, even if it's locked. Sequoia's black bears know exactly how to get to it, and the fine comes quickly.
Where to Eat Nearby: Gateway Towns
Three Rivers
Three Rivers is the closest town to the Ash Mountain Entrance on Highway 198, on the Sequoia side. About a dozen places line the road over a few miles, serving California-style tacos, pizza, sandwiches, and a few restaurants with more ambitious dinner menus. It's the natural stop for dinner after driving down from the park or for stocking the cooler before you enter. Our guide to getting around Sequoia and Kings Canyon has driving times from each area.
Fresno
Fresno is about 56 miles from the Big Stump Entrance on Highway 180, on the Kings Canyon side. As a major Central Valley city, it offers plenty of variety, including Mexican food, Asian cuisine, craft breweries, and national chains. If you have specific dietary needs, such as vegan or gluten-free, you'll find far more choices here.
Visalia
Visalia, about 37 miles from Ash Mountain on Highway 198, is a convenient stop if you're spending the night in town before entering the park. A few good neighborhood Mexican restaurants and a range of family restaurants offer something for every appetite.
Our Picks for Every Occasion
A quick meal after a hike: Lodgepole Grill and Snack Bar or Wuksachi Pizza Deck, depending on where you are.
A sit-down meal in a forest setting: The Peaks Restaurant at Wuksachi Lodge. Make reservations in July and August.
For families on a budget: in-park markets, a well-stocked cooler, and a picnic at a shaded area.
A relaxing dinner in town: head down to Three Rivers for pizza or tacos on a patio.
The widest selection: head to Fresno if you're arriving from or departing through Kings Canyon.
A Regional Specialty to Try
Sequoia and Kings Canyon aren't food destinations, but the Sierra Nevada has a few local specialties. Rainbow trout from mountain rivers, including the Kaweah River and Kings River, occasionally appears on regional menus and in Three Rivers restaurants. In summer, Fresno and Visalia markets are full of Central Valley peaches, cherries, and figs. They're grown just a few miles away and sold ripe.
The Peaks Restaurant is the place most likely to make the most of these seasonal California ingredients. If you're looking for a meal with some local character, that's where you'll find it.
Practical Tips: Hours, Reservations, Budget, and Season
Hours. Nearly all in-park restaurants close from November through late May, with variations depending on the year's snowfall. The Peaks Restaurant stays open longer than the others, including some weekends in the off-season.
Reservations. The Peaks Restaurant recommends them during the high season, in July and August. All other options operate without reservations.
Budget. Plan on $10 to $15 for a quick meal at a cafeteria or grill, and $25 to $40 for a full sit-down meal excluding drinks. In-park markets charge 20% to 30% more than stores in town. Stock up in Fresno, Visalia, or Three Rivers if you plan to cook at your campsite.
Season. The high season, from June through September, is the only time when all of the park's options are available. Outside that period, Wuksachi Lodge is the safest bet. For everything else, our When to Go guide will help you choose your travel window.
Our Fees and Passes page explains entrance fees and national park passes.
In Brief: Where to Eat Based on Your Area
| Area | In-park option | Nearby alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Giant Forest / Lodgepole | The Peaks Restaurant, Wuksachi Pizza Deck, Lodgepole Grill | Three Rivers (30 min) |
| Grant Grove (Kings Canyon) | Grant Grove Restaurant, Grant Grove Market | Fresno (1 hr) |
| Cedar Grove (Kings Canyon) | Cedar Grove Snack Bar (summer only) | Grant Grove Village (45 min) |
| Mineral King | None | Three Rivers (1 hr) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can you eat in Sequoia National Park?
Sequoia National Park's main options are The Peaks Restaurant and Wuksachi Pizza Deck at Wuksachi Lodge in the Giant Forest area, along with Lodgepole Grill and Snack Bar in Lodgepole Village. On the Kings Canyon side, Grant Grove Restaurant and Cedar Grove Snack Bar, which is open in summer, round out the choices. During the off-season, only Wuksachi Lodge remains regularly open.
How much is admission to Sequoia National Park?
The entrance fee is $35 per vehicle, valid for seven days in both Sequoia and Kings Canyon. For entrance fees and annual passes, see the National Park Fees and Passes page, which covers entrance fees and passes, including the America the Beautiful pass.
Are Sequoia and Kings Canyon worth visiting?
The two parks are managed together and offer radically different scenery: giant sequoias in Sequoia and deep canyons in Kings Canyon. They rank among California's less crowded parks for their size, which is a serious advantage. Our complete guide will help you plan your visit.
What is there to do in Kings Canyon?
Most visits to Kings Canyon focus on Cedar Grove, with hikes to Zumwalt Meadow and Mist Falls, plus the view from Junction View along Highway 180. Our Things to Do page lists activities by duration and difficulty.