The Perfect One Day Itinerary for Sequoia National Park

If you wanted to visit some of the largest trees in the world, then Sequoia National Park HAS to be on your bucket list. Located in California and named after the giant sequoia trees that live here, the park is truly unique and will make you feel like you are in another world. We visited in May of 2024 right after a snowstorm blew through and we were fortunate to experience a winter wonderland as a result. The contrast of the snow against the trees was epic, but I know that even if the snow hadn’t been there, the experience would’ve still been incredibly beautiful. If you have only one day in the National Park like we did, here is our recommended itinerary!

We entered at the Southern Foothills Entrance and drove North from there. Start your day with a few quick stops near the entrance including: Sequoia National Park sign, Foothills Visitor Center, and Tunnel Rock.

Then drive along the winding Generals Highway stopping at any pull-off or viewpoint that captures your eye.

As you ascend in elevation, you’ll notice a drastic change of scenery from the valley views. We stopped to capture a picture at the Four Guardsman, a group of 4 sequoia trees that you can drive through and capture the size & scale of these huge trees.

Your first hike of the day will be the easy & paved 1.2 mile Big Trees Trail which will give you a taste of the magnificent sequoia trees. This trail is easily accessible for anybody and relatively flat making it more of a walk than a hike.

Next up, we recommend heading down to General Sherman Tree, the largest tree in the world by volume. Just so you are aware, parking is different in summer vs other times of the year. This tree is sectioned off so you aren’t able to walk right up to it, but it was still really cool to see! This is the point that most people turn around, but we recommend continuing along the Congress Trail.

The Congress Trail is supposedly an easy 3 mile hike on AllTrails, but there is some elevation and the snowy conditions definitely made it a slower slog for us through the forest. That being said, you’ll see more isolated sequoia trees with less crowds. You’ll pass a fallen tree that was made into a tunnel. Some of the notable & named trees along the Congress Trail include the McKinley Tree and the President Tree. But the highlight of the Congress Trail was the two groups of sequoia trees known at the House and the Senate. If you are looking for a photo opportunity with multiple sequoias, then this is the best that you will find in the entire park.

If you have more time in the park, Lost Grove and Muir Grove are a few other options to consider for more sequoia viewing. Additionally, if you keep continuing North, you’ll head right into Kings Canyon National Park. We did not get to these groves or Kings Canyon due to a variety of factors including weather, time, and road conditions. We hope to return to check Kings Canyon off of our National Park bucket list, especially once the various construction projects are completed.

With a short time in Sequoia National Park, we were completely blown away. The pictures don’t even do the experience justice. The trees feel larger in real life and we felt so at peace being in a giant forest. If you do get the chance to visit with snow, I’m sure you will find the experience as beautiful as we did. It somehow amplified our natural surroundings. However, road closures/chain requirements can be in effect when snow comes into play. The day we went, tire chains were required to enter but we didn’t actually end up having to use them. Overall, we truly enjoyed our time here walking amongst the giant trees in awe.