Where to Stay in Sequoia and Kings Canyon: Lodges, Gateway Towns and Campgrounds

By Jocelyn Pion · Data: National Park Service · ← Complete guide Sequoia & Kings Canyon

The short answer. For a first visit, Three Rivers is our favorite base. Located about 5 miles from Sequoia's Ash Mountain Entrance along Highway 198, the town has hotels, restaurants and grocery stores at much lower prices than accommodations inside the park. If you want to wake up in the heart of the giant sequoia forest, choose Wuksachi Lodge, the only major hotel inside the park. Plan on at least two nights to cover Sequoia and Kings Canyon's key sights, and add a third night if Cedar Grove is on your itinerary. To fine-tune the number of days for your pace, our Itinerary and Length of Stay guide lays out several scenarios.

Where to stay: towns, lodges and campgrounds (12)

All Gateway townsLodgesCampgrounds

• Campground Potwisha Campground see NPS · 42 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Azalea Campground recreation.gov · 110 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Cold Springs Campground see NPS · 40 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Atwell Mill Campground see NPS · 21 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Buckeye Flat Campground see NPS · 27 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Sunset Campground see NPS · 158 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Crystal Springs Campground see NPS · 35 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Crystal Springs Campground Group Sites see NPS · 14 sites Directions ↗
• Campground South Fork Campground see NPS · 0 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Lodgepole Campground see NPS · 214 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Dorst Creek Campground see NPS · 222 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Sentinel Campground see NPS · 82 sites Directions ↗

Show interactive map Base map © OpenStreetMap · © CARTO

⚠ Gateway town & Lodge data is undergoing editorial review.

Staying Inside or Outside the Park?

This is the central planning decision. Here's how we make the call.

Choose lodging inside the park if you've only got one night, you want to limit driving on mountain roads after sunset, or waking up among 2,000-year-old trees is nonnegotiable.

Choose lodging outside the park if you're on a tight budget, you're staying several days from one fixed base, or your Central California road trip includes other stops. Three Rivers, Visalia and Fresno let you return to the same bed every night without giving up proximity.

One detail travelers often misjudge when booking is that the two parks share one NPS pass but are reached by two different roads. Sequoia opens from Visalia via Highway 198, while Kings Canyon is reached from Fresno via Highway 180. If your itinerary starts at Grant Grove in Kings Canyon, Three Rivers isn't the most logical gateway. Check your direction of travel before booking.

Staying in Sequoia and Kings Canyon: Park Lodges and Accommodations

Accommodations inside both parks are managed by concessioner Delaware North on behalf of the NPS. You book through its official website. During peak season, from mid-June through early September, booking four to six months ahead isn't excessive. July weekends disappear within hours of the reservation window opening.

Wuksachi Lodge (Sequoia National Park)

Wuksachi Lodge is the main hotel inside Sequoia. Perched at about 7,200 feet in the giant sequoia area, it has 102 rooms spread across three wood buildings designed in the style of a national park lodge. The decor is polished without being luxurious. What you're paying for is an ancient forest just outside the door and early access to General Sherman Tree, before the bus crowds arrive.

On-site, you'll find a dining room open for all three meals during peak season, a lounge bar and a gift shop. Wi-Fi can be unreliable, and the altitude may disrupt your sleep on the first night if you're arriving from the coast. We're mentioning it from experience, not to discourage you. The property is open year-round, except in extraordinary weather conditions.

John Muir Lodge and Grant Grove Cabins (Kings Canyon)

At Grant Grove Village, near the entrance to Kings Canyon, you have two options. John Muir Lodge offers standard rooms in a wood lodge with functional, comfortable amenities, comparable to a good chain hotel. Grant Grove Cabins have fewer amenities, and some cabins aren't heated in the off-season, but they have more atmosphere. The old-fashioned forest-camp feel is genuine, and kids love it.

Both properties are a few minutes' walk from Grant Grove. If you're visiting between November and April, check access conditions. Snow can close some secondary roads.

Cedar Grove Lodge (Kings Canyon)

Cedar Grove Lodge sits deep in Kings Canyon, about 31 miles east of Grant Grove along Highway 180. It's the most isolated lodging in the two parks, and, in our view, the most rewarding choice for hikers who want to hit the canyon trails at sunrise, before day-trippers fill the valley floor.

The property is modest, with about 30 rooms overlooking the Kings River, a snack bar and few nearby dining options. Stock up at Grant Grove or in Fresno before heading down into the canyon. It's open seasonally, generally from May through October. The road to Cedar Grove closes as soon as significant snow arrives.

For a detailed comparison of these options and their availability, our Hotels and Lodges page lists current rates and opening periods.

Camping in Sequoia and Kings Canyon

The two parks have around 15 drive-in campgrounds, from riverfront sites deep in the canyon to clearings above 6,500 feet beneath the giant sequoias. Here are the campgrounds to prioritize.

Lodgepole Campground (Sequoia, about 6,700 feet) is the largest and best equipped, with running water, flush toilets, and access to the village grocery store and laundry. Reservations are made through Recreation.gov, and sites fill as soon as the summer booking window opens.

Dorst Creek Campground (Sequoia, about 7,300 feet) offers a quieter setting away from the village. It uses the same online reservation system and has a somewhat wilder feel.

Azalea Campground (Grant Grove, Kings Canyon, about 6,600 feet) is one of the few campgrounds open year-round in both parks. It's first-come, first-served outside peak season and reservable in July and August. It's the ideal base for anyone visiting Kings Canyon who couldn't find a room at the lodge.

Cedar Grove campgrounds (Sentinel, Canyon View, Sheep Creek and Moraine) let you sleep deep in Kings Canyon at a lower elevation, about 4,600 feet. Temperatures are milder than at higher elevations even in summer, and the river is close enough to hear. Some sites are reservable, while others are first-come, first-served.

Rates range from $22 to $35 per site, depending on the campground. Black bears are present in both parks, as documented by the NPS, so metal food-storage boxes, or bear boxes, are required at every site. Our Camping page covers required equipment, food-storage rules and the reservation process step by step.

Where to Stay Around Sequoia and Kings Canyon: Gateway Towns

Three Rivers

Three Rivers is Sequoia's main gateway town, located along Highway 198 about 5 miles from the Ash Mountain Entrance. It has fewer than 2,500 residents, but enough motels, B&Bs and good restaurants to make a two- or three-night stay comfortable.

Prices are noticeably lower than inside the park. Expect to pay $100 to $180 per night, depending on the season and property. During peak season, in July and August, don't wait too long. Lodging can sell out several weeks ahead.

For families, Three Rivers has another advantage. Kids sleep in the same bed every night, groceries are easy to manage, and you don't spend 30 minutes repacking bags each morning. Our Family page offers a route designed around this base.

Visalia

About 37 miles from the Ash Mountain Entrance, or a 45- to 55-minute drive, Visalia is the region's main service city. Chain hotels, supermarkets and gas stations open 24 hours a day make it the obvious logistical base if Three Rivers is full or you're traveling with an RV and need specific supplies.

The drawback is twofold: you'll drive for an hour in the morning before reaching the sequoias, and you'll be staying in a lowland city with little tourist appeal of its own. If your family needs a Costco or a Target, Visalia is the right answer. For a more immersive travel experience, look elsewhere.

Fresno

Fresno serves the Big Stump Entrance to Kings Canyon via Highway 180, about 56 miles from Grant Grove, a 1- to 1.5-hour drive depending on traffic. A major agricultural and commercial city in the Central Valley, it offers the widest range of prices, from a $70 motel to a comfortable chain hotel for around $130.

If your road trip starts or ends with Kings Canyon, or if you're arriving by plane, Fresno is an obvious logistical stop, with an international airport and major car-rental companies. For a true park experience, though, you'll have to drive. Our Getting Around page explains transportation options from Fresno and Visalia.

When Should You Book Lodging in Sequoia and Kings Canyon?

Delaware North opens lodge reservations 366 days ahead. For Wuksachi Lodge in July and August, weekends fill within hours of opening. That's not an exaggeration. We've repeatedly found that availability was gone by 9 a.m. on the day reservations opened.

For campgrounds reservable through Recreation.gov, including Lodgepole, Dorst Creek and part of Cedar Grove, the booking window opens six months ahead. First-come, first-served campgrounds such as Azalea in the off-season can fill between 6 and 8 a.m. in midsummer.

During the off-season, from November through March, demand eases considerably except on holiday weekends. This is also when several interior roads close because of snow, so check road conditions before heading into the mountains. To choose the right time to visit, our When to Go page covers the benefits and constraints of each season.

Lodging Budget: How Much Does It Cost to Stay in Sequoia and Kings Canyon?

These ranges vary by season, room type and how far ahead you book. One note: the park's annual pass, the America the Beautiful pass, costs $70 and covers both parks. It pays for itself after two $35 entries. For entrance fees and annual passes, see the National Parks Fees and Passes page.

Our Recommendation Based on Your Travel Style

First visit, comfort comes first. Spend one night at Wuksachi Lodge. Arrive in the early afternoon, see General Sherman Tree late in the day, then get an early start the next morning for Moro Rock before the 9 a.m. crowds. The setting does most of the work, and the price makes sense if it's your only night inside the park.

Families with young children. Spend two or three nights in Three Rivers from one fixed base. You drive each morning with rested kids, return every evening without navigating winding roads in the dark, and have stores nearby if you forgot something. This is the setup we recommend almost every time for first-time families.

Tight budget. Camp at Lodgepole or Azalea, with a hotel night in Visalia on the way in and out to simplify logistics. The comfort gap between camping and a lodge is more than offset by the stars visible from your tent at 6,500 feet.

Hikers focused on Kings Canyon. Spend one night at Cedar Grove Lodge or in one of the Cedar Grove campgrounds, followed by a night at Grant Grove. You'll have the canyon to yourself in the morning, before day-trippers arrive from Fresno.

California road trip, one-night stop. One night in Fresno or Visalia is enough to see Sequoia during the day. If you're continuing to Yosemite via Highway 41, Fresno is the most convenient base. For a customized plan based on the time you have, our Complete Sequoia and Kings Canyon guide lays the foundation for your visit.

Frequently Asked Questions