Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks guide · 1 min read
Cedar Grove and Zumwalt Meadow
Cedar Grove lies at the end of Highway 180, which is also called the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway.
From the park entrance, the road runs about 30 miles further east to reach the grove. Vehicles longer than 22 feet should enter the parks by this highway rather than the Generals Highway.
The Zumwalt Meadow Trail begins at the parking area at the end of the byway, and it is a flat walk into a grassy meadow. Rising around you are talus slopes, steep mountains and the granite cliffs that enclose Cedar Grove. From the trail you get good views over the Kings River Valley. It makes an easy outing for a short stop, and you end up in the heart of Kings Canyon with peaks towering above you.
Kings Canyon itself is deep and narrow, and the drive toward Cedar Grove offers many views down into it. Fishing in the Kings River is popular. Just off the road near Cedar Grove, Grizzly Falls is a short stop worth making.
Cedar Grove has easy trails that follow the Kings River and steeper trails that climb into wilderness. Those climbing routes lead into the High Sierra, and this area serves as a doorway to that backcountry. Maps and trail descriptions are sold at visitor center bookstores in Cedar Grove and elsewhere in the parks. Pets are not permitted on trails in either park, so leave the dog at home.
