Drive from Disneyland to Seqouia NP - what time to leave to avoid rush hour?

[elaine amj]

Originally Posted by Purrkins

Also worth mentioning that from the south gate to Sequoia Park to the Ave. of the Giants can sometimes take 2+ hours especially if they are working on the roads.

But it's a stunning drive. One of my favorite places in the world.

Good to know. I am still not sure which road to best access the park. Right now I am thinking of not using the south entrance, especially since my destination is Hume Lake. I will likely enter near Grant's Grove. Mostly to skip the slow winding drive.

Great to hear u love the place so much. I am enthralled with the idea of giant trees.

Yet a part of me is still regretful I can't work Yosemite in. I actually conceived an elaborate plan that had us flying LA to Sacramento, then driving into Yosemite. But DH choked when I told him it would cost $150 per night for a tent cabin in Curry Village. For that price he wants a bathroom LOL. Oh well, since he refuses to rough it for this trip, Seqouia and the relative luxury of a motel room in Hume Lake is what I'll get!

[Purrkins]

Originally Posted by elaine amj

Yet a part of me is still regretful I can't work Yosemite in. I actually conceived an elaborate plan that had us flying LA to Sacramento, then driving into Yosemite. But DH choked when I told him it would cost $150 per night for a tent cabin in Curry Village. For that price he wants a bathroom LOL. Oh well, since he refuses to rough it for this trip, Seqouia and the relative luxury of a motel room in Hume Lake is what I'll get!

I love Yosemite. However, I took my wife there and she said "it looks like a larger version of Lodgepole campground (main campground in Sequoia NP) with 100X more people." Ha!

So we prefer Sequoia over Yosemite since you can take some hikes and not see anyone for 8+ hours. Sometimes Yosemite seems like Disneyland with the crowds.

If you're up for it, the Trail Of The Sequoias is one of our favorite hikes. It's 9 mile loop but once you hike in about .5 miles in odds are you'll see nobody for the rest of the hike until your last .5 miles. Some stunning trees and meadows, wildlife everywhere. Starts at General Sherman and branches off from the Congress trail and is well marked with tree markers.

Bear Hill is a short 4 mile out and back hike and properly named. Saw four or five last summer in a 20 minute stretch.

Kings Canyon is one of the most overlooked National Parks in the nation. About a 2 hour drive from Hume Lake to the end of the road (WORTH IT). Last summer we had a 300+ campground to ourselves for an entire week. Zumwalt meadow is a nice 2 mile loop with some stunning canyon views and a nice walk along a river.

Have fun and be safe!

[bcla]

Originally Posted by Purrkins

I love Yosemite. However, I took my wife there and she said "it looks like a larger version of Lodgepole campground (main campground in Sequoia NP) with 100X more people." Ha!

So we prefer Sequoia over Yosemite since you can take some hikes and not see anyone for 8+ hours. Sometimes Yosemite seems like Disneyland with the crowds.

If you're up for it, the Trail Of The Sequoias is one of our favorite hikes. It's 9 mile loop but once you hike in about .5 miles in odds are you'll see nobody for the rest of the hike until your last .5 miles. Some stunning trees and meadows, wildlife everywhere. Starts at General Sherman and branches off from the Congress trail and is well marked with tree markers.

Bear Hill is a short 4 mile out and back hike and properly named. Saw four or five last summer in a 20 minute stretch.

Kings Canyon is one of the most overlooked National Parks in the nation. About a 2 hour drive from Hume Lake to the end of the road (WORTH IT). Last summer we had a 300+ campground to ourselves for an entire week. Zumwalt meadow is a nice 2 mile loop with some stunning canyon views and a nice walk along a river.

Have fun and be safe!

It's not that overlooked. I've been to Lassen in the summer, and the crowds there were even smaller.

However, I've also been to Yosemite and barely saw anyone for 8+ hours and had one of the greatest views on the planet. Most of Yosemite is not Yosemite Valley.

[Purrkins]

Originally Posted by bcla

It's not that overlooked. I've been to Lassen in the summer, and the crowds there were even smaller.

However, I've also been to Yosemite and barely saw anyone for 8+ hours and had one of the greatest views on the planet. Most of Yosemite is not Yosemite Valley.

Shhh. Keep it a secret about Lassen NP (I agree nobody ever goes there for some reason. Hard to get to?).

True about Yosemite - but most people who have never been hit the valley and it's insanely crowded there. We're doing the High Sierra Trail for the first time this year. Insanely excited.

[bcla]

Originally Posted by Purrkins

Shhh. Keep it a secret about Lassen NP (I agree nobody ever goes there for some reason. Hard to get to?).

True about Yosemite - but most people who have never been hit the valley and it's insanely crowded there. We're doing the High Sierra Trail for the first time this year. Insanely excited.

Getting to Lassen is easy. It takes about 3.5-4 hours to get there from different parts of the Bay Area, or bit more than it takes to get to Yosemite Valley. I remember being there at an overlook and talking to members of a family who stayed there every summer. They said they wouldn't go to Yosemite, and that Lassen was a lot easier to deal with.

The other deal is that they're barely open in the winter and have a lot of snow that doesn't clear until the middle of summer. The star attraction is Bumpass Hell, and it's only open for about 3-4 months out of the year (starting about July 1) because of snow.

Redding isn't bad although it's really hot during the summer. I want to take my kid to the Sundial Bridge. I managed to drive from home in the morning to Lassen Volcanic NP, hiked Bumpass Hell, drove to Manzanita Lake and walked around the lake, drove to Redding, had my hair cut with dinner there, saw the Sundial Bridge at night, and finally got home in the Bay Area at about midnight.

Other parts of Yosemite aren't terribly crowded. Even built-up areas like Wawona and the High Country are actually quite sane even during the peak season.

[clutter]

Originally Posted by elaine amj

Good to know. I am still not sure which road to best access the park. Right now I am thinking of not using the south entrance, especially since my destination is Hume Lake. I will likely enter near Grant's Grove. Mostly to skip the slow winding drive.

Great to hear u love the place so much. I am enthralled with the idea of giant trees.

Yet a part of me is still regretful I can't work Yosemite in. I actually conceived an elaborate plan that had us flying LA to Sacramento, then driving into Yosemite. But DH choked when I told him it would cost $150 per night for a tent cabin in Curry Village. For that price he wants a bathroom LOL. Oh well, since he refuses to rough it for this trip, Seqouia and the relative luxury of a motel room in Hume Lake is what I'll get!

We did 2 weeks in CA last August, and Sequoia was one of our favorites. Another option is to drive out late at night, stay in one of the small towns near the south entrance (we stayed at the Comfort Inn, wasn't too $$). Drive up early in the morning (the view of Moro Rock is lovely), then stay at Hume that night. We stayed at the lodge (name escapes me) in the park that night, and that was one of our favorite nights! The restaurant was excellent. We did Crystal Cave and Moro Rock. That was a tired night, so the food and service was welcome. I can't wait to go back!