From the Pacific Coast to the Tallest Trees on Earth
Southern California surprised us. On this 5-day trip we visited two national parks, a national monument, two national forests, two caves, went whitewater rafting, and went to a grocery store that charged $15 for orange juice.
Here’s how we did it in July 2025, along with options for similar itineraries based on our lessons learned.
Trip Highlights:
Before we get into the details, here’s what we did:
| Category | Details |
| Trip Length | 5 Days |
| Base | Tulare, California |
| National Parks | 2 |
| National Monuments | 1 |
| Best Hike | Moro Rock |
| Best Cave | Crystal Cave |
| Best Adventure | Kern River Rafting |
| Best Time | Late Spring–Early Fall |
The highlights of our trip were:
- Seeing the world’s largest tree
- Exploring two California cave systems
- Whitewater rafting on the Kern River
- Walking among giant sequoias
- Climbing Moro Rock
Day 1: Landing in LA, Santa Monica Pier, Angeles National Forest
My wife and I landed in Los Angeles, got a car, and immediately joined the party by sitting in traffic. This is a non-negotiable for any LA trip, you will sit in traffic. It is part of the experience.
Once we made it to Santa Monica Pier, we felt the cool air. Coming from the east coast, a cold ocean breeze in July was unsettling at first, but infinitely cool. We grabbed Wagyu Beef Terimayo Japadogs and ate them before riding the ferris wheel. This loud, crowded boardwalk amusement park was exactly what we expected, and I realized when we were in the air that this was the same boardwalk from Sharknado.
We walked to the end and back, then took off our shoes and played in the cool Pacific Ocean for a few minutes. The beach was crowded but fun, and we enjoyed a quick walk in the sand.
As the afternoon got later, we headed off to the Angeles National Forest to reacclimate. Once we exited the city, the driving got easier. We hiked the PCT and Indian Canyon Short Loop, a quick 1.7-mile loop trail. This activity was more my speed, and we did not see a single person out. We didn’t see any clouds or trees either, and the sun was shining hard.
If you land in Los Angeles and need a hike to cleanse your palate, I recommend the Angeles National Forest. It was neat to see some mountains, especially since there were only small plants and they were bone dry. It looked like one spark would burn up the whole state.
After our hike, we drove up to Tulare to check into our hotel and get ready for the coming days.
Day 2: Kings Canyon National Park
The drive up from Tulare to Kings Canyon National Park was an experience before we even arrived. The Central Valley smelled like smog and landfills, and then you gain 6,000 feet of elevation to Grant Grove where the air turns clean and crisp. There were no guard rails for the majority of this driving. There were large cliffs for the majority of this driving. We took the drive slowly.
After we entered the park at the top of the mountain, we had to drive back down the other side to get to our first stop: Boyden Cavern. This awesome waypoint sits on the canyon wall between Grant Grove and Cedar Grove in the Sequoia National Forest. The parking lot alone is worth the stop, with the roaring Kings River pushing through the canyon. The tour was around an hour and has some impressive formations, notable cave bacon. The story of Mr. Boyden, who discovered the cave and lived in it on a flat rock, stuck with us. We asked the ranger if he ever brought a wife to live in the cave with him. He did not.
We continued down to Cedar Grove, which was a lot of fun. Cedar Grove is hot in July, but the Kings River and dry air cool you off. Grizzly Falls, Zumwalt Meadow, and Roaring River Falls were highlights for us. We ate a picnic lunch of uncrustables at Roaring River Falls and let the mist cool us off. We saw trout during our hikes in this area, and I have not forgiven myself for not packing a fly rod.
On the drive back up towards Grant Grove, we pulled off of the paved road onto dirt to find the Chicago Stump. This is the remaining base of a 285-foot tree that was cut down and hauled to the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago to prove that the massive sequoia trees actually existed. They did not believe it was real and it was dubbed “The Chicago Hoax”. The stump itself is so large it seems fake, so they kind of had a point.
We finished the day at Grant Grove, where we got face to face with sequoia trees. After a full day of canyon and river in the hot sun, walking in the grove felt like a different planet. The air is cool, and we walked over to General Grant tree, the second largest tree on Earth. The photos serve as memories, but the scale of these trees cannot be appreciated without a visit.
There was a hollowed-out tree that we climbed up, and we walked through the Fallen Monarch, a hollowed-out tree with a trail running through the trunk. We finished off with trout sandwiches and chili for dinner at the Grant Grove Restaurant.
We drove down the 6,000 feet again to head back to the hotel.
Day 3: Kern River Whitewater Rafting and Cesar Chavez National Monument
Day 3 was the activity day, and the perfect way to split up the trip. We started by traveling south around the Sierra Nevadas and back up into Kernville. We met with our whitewater rafting guides and headed out to do the Jungle Run of the Lower Kern River.
This was my wife’s first rafting trip, so we decided to keep it pretty easy with Class III. This half-day raft down the Kern River was exciting and memorable. The best way I can think to describe the surrounding portion of the Sequoia National Forest is “Serengetish” – it was hot, dry, and had small trees. The splashing from the small rapids was enough to keep us cool, and we had a blast.
The highlight of the rafting trip was a large rock that we came across. We climbed the rock and jumped off. This was no everyday rock – it was around 16 feet tall. My wife and I jumped together after a countdown. Unfortunately, she belly flopped. Luckily, the life jacket took most of the impact. On future jumps we made sure to stay upright. The Kern River Jungle Run was definitely manageable for a first-time whitewater rafter, and she is looking forward to future bigger rapids.
Kernville was an unexpected gem. Our favorite shops were Kern River Brewing Company (great food and beer), Sequoia Mountain Bakery (coffee and dessert), and Kern River Fly Shop (I have seriously got to start bringing a rod on these trips). You could easily spend a weekend here fishing and rafting the Kern River.
After we finished drying off, we drove over to Cesar Chavez National Monument in Keene. This is another little-known NPS site, preserving the headquarters of the United Farm Workers union and the home and final resting place of Cesar Chavez. The setting in the Tehachapi Mountains was nice, the exhibits are well-done, and the film provides context for this chapter in history. If you are in the SEKI region, Cesar Chavez is an easy add on your way to or from the parks.
Day 4: Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park brought another 6,000 foot ascent. Luckily, the Generals Highway has guard rails, which felt like a gift from the highway department. We stopped at the Giant Forest Museum to get oriented and headed over to Crescent Meadow.
We drove through tunnel log on the way over, which was a unique experience. Crescent Meadow was called the “Gem of the Sierras” by John Muir, and he had a point. We hiked the green, quiet loop surrounded by sequoia trees. Chimney Tree was a favorite.
In the afternoon, we drove over to Crystal Cave, one of the largest marble caves in California. To access Crystal Cave, you must hike a steep half-mile trail. It was worth it, as the formations were spectacular, and we were rewarded with another large slice of cave bacon. The tour was well-done, and the entrance was iconic.
We hiked up Moro rock, which requires climbing stairs up a granite dome. At the top, you get a 360-degree panoramic view of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This was absolutely the best view of the trip!
Our last hike of the trip was through the Giant Forest. We looked up in awe at the giant trees that went on as far as we could see. Our favorite part was the contrast between the blooming lupines and the massive trees. We stopped at the General Sherman Tree, the largest tree in the world by volume. The size of this 2,100-year-old tree was disorienting. We stood there for a while.
We finished off the day with some ice cream at the lodge before watching the sunset on our drive down.
Day 5: Erewhon and Trek Home
Our flight was somewhat early, so we did not have time to drive an hour up into the parks before heading home.
We did have time to stop at Erewhon, a famous Los Angeles grocery store chain, on our way back. This place is almost a lifestyle experience, and it charges accordingly. This store was something of a culture shock, but the food was high-quality and clearly appreciated by locals, who formed a line at the smoothie bar.
While we are not the target market, the shakes and sushi were excellent. I could see us returning for lunch on our next visit.
We waited for our flight and had a final round of west-coast sushi at the airport.
Day 5 was a fun note to end on. We had 5 days of sequoia trees, rivers, caves, and the Pacific Coast, concluding with the most aspirational grocery store in the country.
Trip Summary
This was an excellent 5-day sprint through California. The SEKI parks anchored our diverse trip. I feel like I had a good experience at Los Angeles with the two half-days, but any more might have hurt with the crowds and traffic. The hiking in two national forests, the national monument, the whitewater rafting, the two cave tours, and the two National Parks each brought their own identity, and nothing felt redundant.
Our favorite moments were Boyden Cavern, the Kern River, the General Sherman Tree, Crystal Cave, and Moro Rock.
Itinerary Options
There are a lot of sights to see in this area and a lot of ways to do a trip like this, but here is what we would do if we were to repeat the trip.
Southern California Only (2 Days)
A SEKI focused trip can cover the best of both parks in 2 days, though they will be a rush with travel to and from the LA airport.
Day 1 – Kings Canyon:
- Morning – Boyden Cavern guided cave tour
- Midday – Cedar Grove, Zumwalt Meadow, picnic at Roaring River Falls
- Afternoon – Chicago Stump Detour on the way back up
- Evening – Grant Grove Sequoias and the General Grant Tree
Day 2 – Sequoia:
- Morning – Giant Forest Museum. Crescent Meadow loop, Tunnel Log Drive through
- Midday – Crystal Cave Tour
- Afternoon – Climb Moro Rock
- Evening – Hikes in the Giant Forest
This minimalist trip is best for first-time SEKI visitors who want a mix of giant trees, caves, and canyons.
Full 5-Day Trip
This is the trip we took:
- Day 1 – Travel and LA
- Land in LA, Santa Monica Pier
- Go hiking at Angeles National Forest
- Day 2 – Kings Canyon
- See Boyden Cavern, Cedar Grove, Chicago Stump, Grant Grove
- Day 3 – Whitewater Rafting and Cesar Chavez
- Go whitewater rafting on the Kern River
- Visit Cesar Chavez National Monument
- Day 4 – Sequoia National Park
- See Crystal Cave, Moro Rock, and the Giant Forest
- Day 5 – Travel and LA
- Visit Erewhon for a uniquely LA grocery store experience
Expanding to 6 or 7 Days
Seeing what we saw in 5 days is a fast-paced trip. I would recommend stretching it out if you have the time available.
For a 6th day, the most obvious addition is a second full day in Kings Canyon National Park. I would check out the Roads End trail system beyond Cedar Grove, for a true backcountry experience into the Kings Canyon wilderness. This is the part of the park that they say rivals Yosemite. You need a permit and full pack, but I bet it is worth it.
For a 7th day, you could add Yosemite National Park and/or Devils Postpile National Monument, but I would definitely want to spend longer than one day at Yosemite. A better bet would be to lean into the LA side of the trip with a day at Channel Islands National Park, unlike anything else in California. These islands are remote, wildlife-heavy, and require a ferry to access. To spend this day at Sequoia, I would explore the Mineral King unit, a subalpine glacier valley with pristine alpine lakes and marmots that chew your car hoses.
Practical Notes
- Book cave tour tickets ahead of time when you plan your trip.
- Book your whitewater rafting trip ahead of time as well.
- The Jungle Run was appropriate for beginners, but if you have been rafting before you probably want some larger rapids. Plan a spring trip to capture snow melts.
- The road to Kings Canyon has no guard rails for most of the way. Drive carefully.
- Fill up your gas tank before heading up into Kings Canyon. There are no gas stations in the park.
- Bring your America the Beautiful Park Pass to avoid the steep entry fee to SEKI.
- Dress in layers. The low elevation areas are generally hotter, and the high elevation areas are cooler. The caves will be cool year-round.
Full Guides
Links to our full guides are below. We have individual posts for each stop on the trip to help you plan:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 5 days enough for Sequoia and Kings Canyon?
Yes. Five days allows you to visit the major highlights of both parks while adding activities like rafting or cave tours.
Which is better: Sequoia or Kings Canyon?
Both are worth visiting. Sequoia is known for giant trees and iconic viewpoints, while Kings Canyon offers dramatic canyon scenery and fewer crowds.
What is the best cave tour?
Crystal Cave offers the best formations, while Boyden Cavern has the most dramatic setting.
Is Kern River rafting beginner friendly?
The Lower Kern River Jungle Run is an excellent option for first-time rafters.
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