AutoCamp California National Parks Plan for Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Yosemite

AutoCamp California National Parks Plan

We have sooo much writing to do regarding our AutoCamp Sequoia and AutoCamp Yosemite trip, including processing hundreds of pictures and videos! However, we’re going to start with the big picture: our AutoCamp California National Parks Trip Plan for Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite, because we ended up changing up greatly from our previous plan as we learned and figured things out along the way.

AutoCamp National Parks Plan – SequoiA Lodging Location

To start, you need to understand that Sequoia and Kings Canyon are pretty much separated by a road – 180 – as you can see with the line out to Kanawyers. There is a bit of Kings Canyon south of that line, but it’s mostly Sequoia. We had 2 days to see the major sites in Sequoia, so from AutoCamp Sequoia, we decided to go to the farthest point in Sequoia National Park and start working our way backwards so that the next day, we didn’t have to re-do the previous day’s route.

As you can see, from the dark blue line on the map, it was a minimum of 1:42 minutes to get to the Redwood Canyon Overlook! In reality – it was quite a bit longer. Look at that twisty turny road on Google Maps! Also – a heads-up to those in the back seat – take Dramamine! I drove very slowly to try to keep those in the backseat comfortable, but there is only so much you can do.

So…figure 1:45 minimum from AutoCamp Sequoia to the first/farthest stop. Yikes! That’s almost 4 hours in the car, round trip, best case scenario! Is there any place closer to the park? Yes.

The Gateway Restaurant & Lodge is about 15 minutes closer – saving you a half hour, round trip. It doesn’t sound like much, but it was a bit frustrating passing so many lodging places closer to the park.

If you want to be IN the park, you’ll really save yourself time! Even during the government shut down (enough, already!), the lodges were open. Wuksachi Lodge is open year-round. Keep in mind that it is located at around 7,000 feet of elevation. Keep that in mind if you have issues with feeling sick at that elevation! Wuksachi Lodge is 1:12 closer than AutoCamp Sequoia to the Giant Trees section of Sequoia – which is sort of the heart of the park, very near General Sherman Tree, Congress Trail, and of course, The Big Trees Trail.

Now, having set the stage for the Sequoia National Park trip planning, it’s clear that AutoCamp Sequoia is not IN the park. But, most folks visiting an AutoCamp location are visiting for the super cool Airstreams, the fantastic clubhouses, the ability to have a fire pit and cook over a fire, and to participate in the fun activities at AutoCamp. That was the case for us.

AutoCamp California National Parks Plan – Things to See in Sequoia National Park, Day 1

Now that you have the big picture, you can see why we chose to drive allll the way up to Redwood Canyon Overlook first, then backtracking from there. Our trip, in order:

• Redwood Canyon Overlook
• Buena Vista Overlook
• Big Baldy Trailhead
• Wuksachi Lodge – lunch
• Lodgepole Village (teeshirts and gifts!) just before General Sherman Tree area
• General Sherman Tree/Congress Trail

That was about 45 minutes of driving, peppered with these stops.

In doing this, we did not need to backtrack north of General Sherman on Day 2. We were all pleased with this trip plan. This was a super-full day. We got back to AutoCamp Sequoia about 5 pm. (having left at 9 am).

AutoCamp California National Parks Plan – Things to See in Sequoia National Park, Day 2

So what to do south of General Sherman? Day 2 was much less driving. Had we done things in the correct order (oops!), it would have looked like this:

• Big Trees Trail
• Beetle Rock
• Sequoia National Park’s Tunnel Log
• Hanging Rock
• Moro Rock Trail

We did all this, but there was a little backtracking and trying to find trailheads. It’s all part of the adventure, we told ourselves. 🙂

I’m not doing photos in this post, for the most part, because the focus is on the planning, BUT let me tell you – Moro Rock Trail and that area are FANTASTIC and not to be missed. You can miss Beetle Rock. We did that only because we couldn’t find the Big Trees Trail.

We are between Moro Rock and Hanging Rock here, stopping for a snack and enjoying the view ABOVE the clouds!

We had started at 9 am again, and we were back at AutoCamp Sequoia by 4 pm. I then took the time to do all my videos of the camp – coming soon, I hope!

The next day, 2 of us were off to Kings Canyon.

AutoCamp California National Parks Plan – Kings Canyon

There are 3 routes to Kings Canyon from AutoCamp Sequoia, the eastern most (pink) back on General’s Highway in Sequoia National Park. We wanted to see other scenery, so we took the “middle” option instead of the less scenic (orange).

As you can see, it was 2:25 minutes to get to the verrry end of Kings Canyon to the famous Zumwalt Meadow. National Parks calls it, “…one of the park’s most iconic, scenic meadows.” So, of course, it was a must-see, and it did not disappoint!

But first, the ride was fun/cool. You drive through Sequoia National FOREST quite a bit before getting into Kings Canyon.

The canyon is AAAAMMAAAAZZZINNNGGG. A must see! It’s DEEPER than the Grand Canyon!

Many more pictures and videos coming in the not-too-distant future.

It was 3 1/2 hours to AutoCamp Yosemite from the end of Kings Canyon. Is it worth the drive from AutoCamp Yosemite? ABSOLUTELY.

AutoCamp California National Parks Plan – Yosemite Lodging

Like Sequoia, AutoCamp Yosemite is not the closest lodging to Yosemite National Park. There are two others slightly closer. If convenience is number one, absolutely stay in the park at one of the lodges or campgrounds (none are glamping, though).

AutoCamp California National Parks Plan – Yosemite Day 1, The Valley

WOW, Yosemite is so different from Sequoia or Kings! As soon as you hit the Valley – you can see all the major sites, which are all very close together! Yosemite Valley is approximately 7 miles long and about 1 mile wide. In fact, many people do the valley by bike on a trail loop, which is 11.5 miles and mostly level.

So – unlike Sequoia and Kings Canyon – all the major attractions are within eyesight almost the entire time! This draws major, major crowds in summer. Fortunately, we were there the final days of October, a week after a foot and a half of snow above 8,000 feet, so there was water in the falls, minimal crowds, and absolutely gorgeous weather! Yup, we got really lucky,.

From Tunnel View, you can see many of the sites: El Capitan, Half Dome, Bridalveil Fall are the most famous.

My favorite view of Yosemite from the Merced River. El Capitan on the left, Half Dome back/far right.

The super cool thing is that the next day, instead of touring the sites on the valley floor, we went UP…7200 feet up… to view the valley from Glacier Point. It was AWESOME to get this perspective of all the valley sites!

AutoCamp California National Parks Plan – Yosemite Day 2, Glacier Point

So Day 2 was a “light” day, simply driving up to Glacier Point, but also stopping along the way to see the breathtaking views! I can’t recommend this drive enough! From Glacier Point, you feel like you can reach out and touch Half Dome! You look down on the village you spent the day in the day before. It feels like you can see across the mountain tops forever. It’s simply gorgeous.

AutoCamp California National Parks Plan – Conclusion

There was a lot of driving on this trip. The only way to cut down on the driving is to stay inside the parks at a Lodge. Otherwise, there is not much time savings in staying somewhere other than AutoCamp.

As for the parks, they are amazing! All three are must-visits. Don’t skip Kings. It’s really so different from Sequoia, even though they are “attached”. It’s a very different experience that we marveled at. The rock and the canyon are breathtaking.

We still have to write our reviews of AutoCamp Sequoia and AutoCamp Yosemite, and we have a bunch of articles, too. All in good time!