Lodging for Sequoia

[lafoster]

Any recommendation of where to stay? I've read such mixed reviews. Not sure whether to do park lodging (John Muir?) or stay in Three Rivers at Comfort Suites. We'll be coming from Yosemite. Will probably stay 1-2 nights. Also saw there is a Hampton Inn in Visalia, but web site says it's a 45 min drive, I assume that's just to the park entrance. Trip is planned for June 2013 and our boys will be 7 and 5.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I recommend staying at one of the following:

Cabins at Grants Grove or Giant Forest area
http://www.sequoia-kingscanyon.com/cabins.html
http://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/lodging.htm
You'll be taking Hwy 180 to get from Sequoia from Yosemite (I've driven it a few times), and so you will reach Kings Canyon. Grants Grove is in Kings Canyon. If you continue north on General's Hwy you will reach Sequoia National Forest, and then Sequoia National Park. You'll be close to one of the groves here and also Hume Lake. I recommend going to Hume Lake for some down time
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sequoia/recreation/visitor-guide/hume-lake.html

If you want to stay near the Giant Forest you might want to consider staying at the Wuksachi Lodge. I'll be camping at Lodgepole, which is right by this lodge. I like the location here because it is pretty close to the General Sherman tree, Crescent Meadow, and Moro Rock.

Let me know if you have any questions regarding Sequoia or Yosemite. I go to both often.

 

[lafoster]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm having a hard time figuring out how to split the time between Yosemite and Sequoia. My thoughts are to leave San Francisco Sunday to drive to Yosemite. Then on the other end, we'd like to get to San Diego Thursday or Friday. We're planning a 2 week trip, and will end it with Disneyland, of course!

My current plan is to spend the money to stay at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, but is there a better/cheaper option in the area? And then could spend the money to stay at Wuksachi. (Tour kings canyon, stay at Wuksachi, tour southern area and then stay Three Rivers?) Otherwise the cabins are a good suggestion and more in our pricerange.

From what I've looked at, it seems like you tour Yosemite by shuttle/bus, where as Sequoia seems less touristy and we may want to spend more time hiking there.

I'd love your thoughts about this. I'm trying to study-up, but it's hard to know if I'm being realistic or not!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I go to both quite often. The Lodge by Yosemite Falls is lovely. If you do stay there, ask them (call them) and request the eco room. It is decorated in light colors and is really nice. I stayed there last year. Your other options are the tent cabins in Curry Village. They are pretty basic with an elevated wooden floor, spring beds, army blankets, electricity (not a lot). However, you need to use a central bathroom. I have stayed in the tent cabins, and even took my cousins from Spain there, and we were fine with them. I do prefer Housekeeping because it is more like camping, even though you sleep in beds. Although we take our own sleeping bags you can ask if they provide bedding. What I like about Housekeeping is that you can cook your own food, if you want, you have a little semi-private patio with a table, and you can have a campfire. It is also next to the river. There is also electricity at Housekeeping.

For Sequoia, if you stay in the cabins at Grants Grove, you might want to stay in a "regular" cabin as opposed to a rustic cabin. I stayed in a rustic cabin once, and the only light was provided by a kerosene lamp. It sounds really cool, but not practical if you'd like to read in the cabin, etc.

For Yosemite, I would recommend 2 nights, and definitely visiting Glacier Point/Washburn Point for magnificent views of the valley. If you like to hike, hike to Vernal Falls. If you like to walk, then a nice easy hike would be from the base of Yosemite Falls to Yosemite Village or Awahnee Hotel. You can also rent bikes there. They have a wonderful visitors center, worth exploring, and the rangers there can recommend many hikes that you would enjoy.

In Sequoia, I highly recommend visiting Hume Lake. There is a beach there and you can have a nice picnic. There is also a Christian camp, and you can gas up there, as well as rent kayaks for a nominal fee (I think $5/hour). It's fun to spend an hour kayaking on the lake. I also recommend Crescent Meadow, and taking the hikes/walks along there to Tharpes Log. It's just beautiful. You have to see the General Sherman Tree (largest living thing on earth), and climb up to Moro Rock, if you wish.

At Sequoia they have a campground with a stream running through it - Lodgepole. There is a trailhead to a 1.7 hike to Tokopah Falls. I really like this hike, not for the falls, but for the changing scenery as you go up.

I have links in my signature to a couple of trips I made to Yosemite and Sequoia, if you'd like to check them out.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I recommend staying at one of the following:

Cabins at Grants Grove or Giant Forest area
http://www.sequoia-kingscanyon.com/cabins.html
http://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/lodging.htm
You'll be taking Hwy 180 to get from Sequoia from Yosemite (I've driven it a few times), and so you will reach Kings Canyon. Grants Grove is in Kings Canyon. If you continue north on General's Hwy you will reach Sequoia National Forest, and then Sequoia National Park. You'll be close to one of the groves here and also Hume Lake. I recommend going to Hume Lake for some down time
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sequoia/recreation/visitor-guide/hume-lake.html

If you want to stay near the Giant Forest you might want to consider staying at the Wuksachi Lodge. I'll be camping at Lodgepole, which is right by this lodge. I like the location here because it is pretty close to the General Sherman tree, Crescent Meadow, and Moro Rock.

Let me know if you have any questions regarding Sequoia or Yosemite. I go to both often.

How much time would you recommend for Sequoia? Is 1.5 days not enough? We probably wouldn't be doing a lot of rock climbing or kayaking since dh has back problems but would like to see the typical touristy stuff like General Sherman, Moro Rock & have some time to just take in the sights. I originally planned 3 nts/4 days but now I'm thinking this will be too long. It's our 1st time to Cali but we only have 4 full days to play. We'll be flying in late Fri night after school and flying home super early Wed am so 1st & last nights need to be at airport hotels. It's really not enough time to try to squeeze in Yosemite but dh is too "parked out" to do DL. WWYD?

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Since you are on a time constraint, I think 1-1/2 days is good at Sequoia. I'd recommend Grants Grove, Hume Lake, General Sherman, and Crescent Meadow. If you could make it to the top of Moro Rock, I would add that.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Since you are on a time constraint, I think 1-1/2 days is good at Sequoia. I'd recommend Grants Grove, Hume Lake, General Sherman, and Crescent Meadow. If you could make it to the top of Moro Rock, I would add that.

thanks!