Yosemite National Park so outshines most other natural attractions in California that people from out of the state hardly even know where these two national parks are - much less come with a plan to visit them. This has the happy side effect that these parks are less than half as crowed as Yosemite inspite of being NPs for longer and being marginally larger in acreage. This travelogue suffers from being limited in the number of places it describes due to the fact that it was made in early spring when road closures left many places inaccessible.
Though they are two separate parks, Sequoia and Kings Canyon are administered as one by the NPS. The tallest and biggest trees in the world grow in Sequoia NP. Most of the trees tend to occur in small ('small' in Sequoia terms) clumps called Groves. The best way to take in their beauty is to walk on several of the trails that go through many of these groves. My local city library which has no end of books about Yosemite, had exactly one book on Sequoia/Kings Canyon which was a Day Trail Guide. Other books and maps are available at the visitor's center and it is best to get one before setting off on a trail. This is especially true in the lower visitation months where you could be the only person that you can see which could lead to unpleasant thoughts about bears and rattlesnakes both of which are around.
Most National Parks are remote but these are especially so because the drive there takes one from elevation of near zero to an elevation of 7000 ft above sea level. The main attraction in Sequoia is the General Sherman Tree, which is the largest living thing in the world. The Congress trail starts around here and loops through several of the largest trees in the area. For a place so far removed from city life and politics, many of the trees here are named after Generals and other political people or bodies. There is a tree called 'The President', one called 'The Chief', a grove called 'The Senate' and yet another called 'The House'. The main road through Sequoia is called the General's Highway. Every black dot on AAA's map has been well earned on this stretch.
Fallen trees are littered around the park. Car log and Tunnel log are two that have been converted to tourist destinations but other nameless fallen giants abound. In addition to groves, there are meadows - which are sort of the opposite of forests. Open tracts of grassy land stand in contrast to the towering trees surrounding them.
Back in King's Canyon, stop at the Grant Grove which is very close to the entrance and practically opposite the visitor's center. Catch the sunset from Beetle Rock.
CA-180 from the town of Fresno and CA-198 from the town of Visalia are the two highways into the park. Staying in Fresno has the added advantage of having the option of taking CA-41 up to Yosemite. Fresno itself is on CA-99.
