Sequoia National Park

Park Entrance

Sequoia National Park

Driving to Sequoia National Park on May 1, 2022 going from South to North was a pretty drive.  We saw a couple of long trains on the mountain sides, which at a distance really looked like a large toy train set.  There were also many solar farms and a variety of windmills turning out electricity as they spun in the wind.

Once we left the Bakersfield, CA area and began the highway drive toward Portersville, CA we saw a great number of farms.  These farms were growing all sorts of things from what we could see.  The main crops seemed to be Oranges, Halos, Strawberries, Lemons, and something called a “Sweet Olive”.

A few miles before you enter the Sequoia National Park at Three Rivers CA, we came upon on stunning lake nestled in between the mountain range.  The lake was named Lake Kaweah and seemed be fed by the mountain rivers/runoff.  The water was crystal blue and boats from the nearby marina dotted the water as we looked down from the road.  For sure it would be a great area for a picnic and to spend the day swimming.  We stopped for some pictures, including a selfie and then pushed on to the park.

Entering the park there was a line of traffic and the Foothills Visitor Center was crowded.  Truly not much to see at the visit center.  As we push deeper into the park the beautify increased along with the vastness.  Almost everyone stopped along the roadside parking spots every mile or so to take pictures.  Rock arches, mountain peaks and a fast-flowing river over rapids was awesome to see. 

We stopped for a short hike near Hospital Rock and then walked down the hillside to the rapids.  Seeing the large rock formations and fast rapids was well worth the hike.  Many of the visitors had the same idea and it was a crowded area.  There were some natural pools formed between the rocks and a few of the visitors braved the cold water for a swim.

Unfortunately, we only had a few hours for our time in Sequoia National Park and with the traffic on the road we did not get very far.  Without a doubt to see the beauty of the park you would need a week with a well-planned combination of driving and hiking.