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Sequoia National Park with Kids Family Vacation Guide

by Shelly Rivoli
Parker Group

CALIFORNIA, SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK WITH KIDS – If you want to show your kids some seriously big trees this year, pack your bags and make way for Sequoia National Park in southern California. Sequoia is not simply home to some of the largest living organisms on earth; it’s also home to “the world’s largest tree” based on volume.

Yet Sequoia has more to offer than just spectacular trees. Here are my top 4 recommended activities to get the most from your visit to Sequoia National Park with kids, along with recommendations for 1 great place to stay and 1 great place to eat while you are there.

Summer 2023 alert: Generals Highway is closed for road repairs caused from storm damage between Hospital Rock and the Giant Forest Museum. THE ONLY WAY to currently reach the giant sequoias, including the Giant Forest, General Sherman Tree, and Grant Grove is through the Big Stump Entrance on Highway 180. Click here to check for the latest status on the road reopenings before your visit.

girl looking up at giant redwoods sequoia trees

1. Tour Crystal Cave

The "Organ Room" inside Crystal Cave at Sequoia National Park.
The “Organ Room” inside Crystal Cave at Sequoia National Park.

Note for summer 2023: Crystal Cave is closed for 2023 from damage caused by wildfire and the more recent storms. It’s expected to reopen for summer 2024.

It’s a bit off the beaten track and missed by many visitors to Sequoia National Park, but I encourage anyone who is physically able to take the guided tour of Crystal Cave. With its polished marble underground streams and cream puff stalagmites, it’s a fascinating world to explore beneath Sequoia National Park.

You must buy tickets and sign up for your tour in advance, and the process of getting to the cave and getting in is surprisingly complicated but worth it, so be sure to read this post first on Important Tips for Visiting Crystal Cave. You can buy your tickets and reserve your tour time at Recreation.gov’s Crystal Cave tours page. Once you have your tour time set, you can plan the rest of your activities around it.

2. Enlist in the Junior Ranger program

Proud new Junior Rangers sporting their badges at Sequoia National Park.
Proud new Junior Rangers sporting their badges at Sequoia National Park.

As in many National Parks, Sequoia offers a Junior Ranger Program where kids completing certain tasks during their visit to the park can earn a badge and the distinction of being a young protector of the park. For us, it involved visiting a minimum number of sites from a list, picking up some litter we found in the park, completing a few activities in the guide, and attending a ranger talk at the Visitor Center–which we all enjoyed more than expected and admit we wouldnโ€™t have done if the kids hadnโ€™t wanted to earn their Junior Ranger badges.

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With these tasks accomplished, the kids had to answer a few on-the-spot questions from a park ranger to demonstrate their knowledge of the place before getting sworn-in and receiving their badges. Ask for details and your Junior Ranger Guide at the Lodgepole Visitor Center, or read more here on the Visit Sequoia website.

 

3. Visit the Giant Forest and say hello to the General Sherman Tree

The General Sherman tree at Sequoia National Park.
The General Sherman tree at Sequoia National Park.

This is where youโ€™ll not only get your family’s photo op with the worldโ€™s largest tree, but youโ€™ll find great paths meandering through some of Sequoiaโ€™s most famous and picturesque groves. It’s all a moderate hike from the parking lot above or shuttle stop below. Although itโ€™s the most trafficked tree trail in the park, youโ€™ll actually make quite a descent and ascent back up again to the parking area, and many people are caught off guard by the effects of the altitude.

Bring your camera, bring water, go slowly, and enjoy the trees.

Three kids hiking in desert with guidebook promotion for Hiking with Kids Southern California by Shelly Rivoli
Hiking with Kids Southern California includes hikes in Sequoia NP, Kings Canyon NP, Joshua Tree NP, Death Valley NP, and Channel Islands NP — and many more great hikes for families. (And yes, those are MY kids!) Thank you for your support! – Shelly

4. Hike to the top of Moro Rock

Working our way back down from the top of Morro Rock - You can see why for some it's actually easier hiking up than it is facing this view on the way back down.
Working our way back down from the top of Moro Rock – You can see why for some it’s actually easier hiking up than it is facing this view on the way back down.

Perhaps one of the most photographed locations in the park, the top of Moro Rock provides panoramic views of Californiaโ€™s Central Valley and the Western Divide. The hike up is actually short but very steep. Cement staircases give way to textured slopes at times, though it is do-able with a toddler.

If youโ€™re lucky, youโ€™ll be able to enjoy a park rangerโ€™s talk at the top, as he points out the treasures hiding in the sweeping expanse around you (check times at the Visitor Center). For tips on Hiking Moro Rock with little kids, be sure to read this post.

1 Great Place for Families to Stay: Wuksachi Lodge

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The one and only official lodge of Sequoia National Park is the very comfy and well-appointed Wuksachi Lodge. Situated at 7,200 feet and spread between three buildings and the lodge, your family will have plenty of opportunities to spot wildlife on strolls around the grounds and to the dining room.

best travel strollers

Guest rooms range from standard rooms sleeping 4 in beds to superior rooms. The latter of the two can sleep 6 in beds with two in a sitting room, which can be closed off with sliding doors (shown above). Wuksachi Lodge also hosts free family-friendly weekly activities, such as wildlife viewing clinics, flashlight hikes, astronomy talks, and more.

1 Great Place for Families to Eat: The Peaks at Wuksachi Lodge

The Peaks at Wuksachi Lodge has sophisticated fare, but also a family-friendly atmosphere.
The Peaks at Wuksachi Lodge has sophisticated fare, but also a family-friendly atmosphere.

Yes, there are basic lunch options and a small market by the Lodgepole Visitors Center. But for a โ€œgreatโ€ dining experience, youโ€™ll want to check out The Peaks restaurant at Wuksachi Lodge. Kids under 12 years have their own menu ($6 – $8), and parents can enjoy a simple Caesar salad or a more sophisticated meal, all while taking in a forest view from the dining room. See the current menus and hours here.

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An earlier version of this article first appeared May 21, 2014.

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9 comments

kristimarcelle July 21, 2014 - 11:36 pm

I loved Big Trees too – even more than the Sequoias at Yosemite. So peaceful wit no crowds. Haven’t done Sequoia National Park yet – on the long list.

Jenna Francisco (@thismyhappiness) May 30, 2014 - 4:27 am

I am pinning this post for a future trip with my kids. We just went to Calaveras Big Trees State Park and saw many Giant Sequoias, so we are excited to visit Sequoias National Park, too.

Shelly Rivoli May 30, 2014 - 3:47 pm

Jenna, we LOVE (bold, underscore) Calaveras Big Trees! I’ve written about it in my other blog. My husband was just asking if I’ve worked it into our summer plans for this year. You might like my California’s Must-see Trees board on Pinterest!

Ann May 27, 2014 - 6:47 am

Love the new blog (and was always a huge fan of the old one). I can’t wait to take the kids here someday. Plus (side note) I love a restaurant with a view.

Shelly Rivoli May 28, 2014 - 11:04 pm

Thank you for new – and past support! Side note: I love a restaurant with a good steak, too. (And, for obvious reasons, crayons.) ๐Ÿ˜‰

Micki (The Barefoot Nomad) May 24, 2014 - 3:49 pm

My kids would LOVE the Junior Ranger Program. I think it’s a fantastic way to get kids involved. ๐Ÿ™‚

Shelly Rivoli May 28, 2014 - 8:22 pm

They’re on a mission to collect badges now! Have to say I love the Junior Paleontologist badges the best so far…

Heidi (@WagonersAbroad) May 22, 2014 - 10:54 pm

Now you are making me a bit homesick. I am originally from the Bay Area of California and I do love those big trees in the National Park. It smells so good there too. Thanks for bringing back memories for me.

Shelly Rivoli May 23, 2014 - 4:17 am

You are more than welcome, Heidi! But I would trade a few for your more recent experiences abroad! ๐Ÿ˜‰ Thanks for stopping by my new blog!

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