9 Best Things to Do in Sequoia National Park: Giant Trees, Moro Rock & More

If any national park can make you feel wonderfully small, it’s Sequoia. Giant trees rise like living skyscrapers, granite domes tower above the forest, waterfalls tumble through deep canyons, and high above it all sits the crest of the Sierra Nevada.

Located in California’s southern Sierra Nevada, Sequoia National Park is far more than a collection of big trees. This is a landscape of enormous scale—from the foothills to alpine wilderness, marble caverns, mountain meadows, rivers, and some of the largest living organisms on Earth.

Sequoia was established on September 25, 1890, making it the second-oldest national park in the United States after Yellowstone.

My name is Rob Decker, and I’m a photographer and graphic artist who has spent more than 50 years exploring and photographing America’s national parks. Sequoia is one of those parks where scale becomes part of the experience. The trees are bigger, the mountains feel higher, and almost every view reminds you that nature has been working here on a timeline far longer than our own.

1. Drive Through Tunnel Log

Yes, you really can drive through a giant sequoia at Sequoia National Park—but there’s an important distinction.

Tunnel Log is a fallen sequoia, not a living tree.

After the enormous tree fell across Crescent Meadow Road, a passage was cut through the trunk so vehicles could pass beneath it. Today, Tunnel Log remains one of the park’s most recognizable—and most photographed—roadside stops.

And yes, driving through a tree is every bit as entertaining as it sounds.

2. Stand Beneath the General Sherman Tree

You simply cannot visit Sequoia National Park without meeting the General Sherman Tree.

By volume, General Sherman is the largest living tree on Earth. It contains roughly 52,508 cubic feet of wood, stands nearly 275 feet tall, and has a ground-level circumference of more than 100 feet.

Numbers help—but they don't really prepare you for the experience.

You need to stand beneath it.

If you have time, don't stop with Sherman. The surrounding Giant Forest contains hundreds of mature giant sequoias and one of the most impressive collections of large trees anywhere in the world.

3. Climb Moro Rock

Moro Rock gives you a completely different perspective on Sequoia National Park.

A historic stone-and-concrete stairway climbs more than 350 steps up the massive granite dome. As you climb, the trees fall away and the view opens toward the foothills, San Joaquin Valley, and dramatic peaks of the Great Western Divide.

The hike is short—but don't mistake short for easy.

The stairs are steep, the elevation is above 6,700 feet, and there are significant drop-offs along the route.

4. Go Underground at Crystal Cave

Giant trees may get most of the attention, but one of Sequoia's most fascinating landscapes is underground.

Crystal Cave is a marble cavern filled with sculpted passages and intricate formations created by water over thousands of years.

The cave can only be visited on a guided tour, and getting there takes more time than many visitors expect. From the cave parking area, there is a steep half-mile walk to the entrance before the tour even begins.

When open, plan on devoting roughly half a day to the entire experience, including driving time, the walk to the cave, and the tour itself.

5. Look Toward Mount Whitney

At Mount Whitney, the Sierra reaches its highest point in the contiguous United States.

The summit sits on the eastern boundary of Sequoia National Park, but this is one of those places where geography can be a little misleading: you cannot simply drive from the main Sequoia attractions to Whitney Portal.

The most common approach begins outside the park on the eastern side of the Sierra near Lone Pine.

If climbing Whitney isn't on your agenda, that's perfectly fine. You can still appreciate the scale of the Sierra from viewpoints throughout Sequoia—or explore the eastern side on a separate trip.

6. Hike to Tokopah Falls

You don't have to leave Sequoia National Park to find one of the area's most impressive waterfalls.

The Tokopah Falls Trail begins near Lodgepole Campground and follows the Marble Fork of the Kaweah River through a dramatic glacial canyon.

The trail is about 1.7 miles each way, leading to Tokopah Falls, which cascades roughly 1,200 feet down the granite cliffs at the head of the canyon.

This is one of my favorite types of national park hike: not too long, constantly scenic, and with a real payoff at the end.

7. Wander Through Giant Forest

You could visit General Sherman, take a photo, and move on.

But you'd be missing one of the best parts of Sequoia.

Giant Forest has an extensive trail network winding through sequoia groves, meadows, and mixed conifer forest. The further you get from the busiest viewpoints, the easier it becomes to experience the trees in a quieter, more personal way.

Giant sequoias are impressive individually. A forest full of them is something else entirely.

8. Take a Day Hike

Sequoia National Park rewards people who get out of the car.

Trails range from short walks through giant sequoia groves to strenuous mountain routes leading deep into the Sierra Nevada.

Depending on your time, fitness, and season, you can choose from:

• Easy meadow walks
• Giant sequoia loops
• Waterfall hikes
• Granite viewpoints
• High-country alpine routes

Remember that many popular areas around Giant Forest and Lodgepole sit between roughly 6,000 and 7,000 feet. If you're arriving from near sea level, even a moderate trail can feel harder than expected.

9. Head Into the Wilderness

If a day hike isn't enough, Sequoia and neighboring Kings Canyon offer an enormous wilderness playground.

Together, the parks protect more than 800,000 acres of designated wilderness, with trails reaching from oak-covered foothills to some of the highest terrain in the Sierra Nevada.

Backpacking here can take you into:

• High alpine basins
• Remote sequoia groves
• Mountain passes
• Glacial valleys
• Sections of the High Sierra Trail
• Routes toward Mount Whitney

Wilderness permits are required for all overnight wilderness trips. During the quota season, many trailheads have daily limits and advance reservations may be available or required depending on the route.

Keep an Eye Out for Wildlife

From foothill oak woodland to alpine country, Sequoia protects a remarkable variety of habitats—and that means plenty of wildlife.

Depending on where and when you visit, you may encounter deer, marmots, black bears, birds, reptiles, and a wide range of smaller animals.

Dawn and dusk are often particularly good times to quietly watch meadow edges and forest openings.

When Is the Best Time to Visit Sequoia National Park?

Summer offers the easiest access to the largest number of roads and trails—but it is also the busiest time of year.

Late spring and early fall can be especially rewarding if weather and road conditions cooperate.

Whenever you visit, check current road, weather, and trail conditions before leaving home. Mountain conditions can change much faster than the calendar suggests.

How Much Time Do You Need?

You can see the highlights in a day, but Sequoia deserves more time if your schedule allows.

Bring Sequoia National Park Home

Sequoia is a landscape built around scale.

The challenge as an artist is figuring out how to convey just how enormous these trees feel when you're standing beneath them.

That sense of wonder is what inspired my Sequoia National Park Poster.

Inspired by the classic WPA-style national park artwork of the 1930s and 1940s, the design celebrates the towering giant sequoias and extraordinary landscape that make this park unlike anywhere else.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sequoia National Park

What is Sequoia National Park best known for?

Sequoia is best known for its giant sequoia trees, including General Sherman, the largest living tree on Earth by volume. The park is also home to granite domes, waterfalls, deep canyons, alpine wilderness, and high Sierra peaks.

Is General Sherman the tallest tree in the world?

No. General Sherman is the largest living tree by volume, not the tallest. Its enormous trunk and overall mass are what give it the title.

Can you drive through a tree at Sequoia National Park?

Yes. Visitors can drive through Tunnel Log, a fallen giant sequoia on Crescent Meadow Road. It is not a living tree.

How many steps are there on Moro Rock?

The historic stairway up Moro Rock has more than 350 steps and climbs roughly 300 vertical feet to panoramic views of the Great Western Divide.

Can you visit Crystal Cave?

Crystal Cave can only be visited on a guided tour during its operating season. Tours have ended for 2026 and are expected to resume in late spring 2027.

Is Mount Whitney inside Sequoia National Park?

The summit of Mount Whitney lies on the eastern boundary of Sequoia National Park. The most commonly used trailhead, Whitney Portal, is accessed from the eastern Sierra outside the park near Lone Pine.

How many days should you spend in Sequoia National Park?

One full day is enough to see several major highlights, but two to three days gives you time to hike, explore Giant Forest, visit waterfalls, and experience the park at a much more relaxed pace.

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