After four years of living in California, I never really took the chance to explore my own backyard. Determined to make every weekend an adventure, I finally jumped on the opportunity to check out a destination I’ve been dying to see. We only had two days to explore King’s Canyon and Sequoia National Parks, but I can honestly say, the place is pure magic.
The Plan
Let’s talk planning. There are two separate entrances to the park. If you’re staying at a campground, be sure to have that booked way in advance. We typically don’t stay at campgrounds and choose to look for dispersed camping. If you’re opting for this route, I recommend using ioverlander or looking in the national forests where camping is free.
The entrance into Sequoia can be insanely crowded. However, if you route a little differently, entering into the King’s Canyon entrance will save you the headache.
Our plan was for a quick weekend getaway, and we needed something that was minimal stress and had all the equipment we would need. My research led me to The Camper Cartel. A small, locally owned company in Topanga Canyon near Malibu. From sprinter vans, to jeeps with tents attached, they have luxury camping perfected. We opted for the Adventurer. A Toyota Tacoma with a rooftop tent that unfolds when it’s time to set up camp. This was the perfect rig for our trip because it gave us the flexibility to find dispersed camping. It came equipped with all the cooking essentials and sleeping needs.
Our Route
After picking up the van in Topanga, we were off to King’s Canyon. We arrived around 5 and went for a quick hike along the river. To our surprise, it led to waterfall after waterfall. Little rock pools that made the rocks so slick you could slide down.
Using ioverlander, Brian had routed us to a few different options for camping. We finally landed on one that was deep in the woods with a small hike to some amazing stargazing. (I’ve added the campsite coordinates below).
Brian had planned all the adventures for the trip. One of the main hikes was sadly too far to make possible. We had to boycott Mineral King to Eagle Lake. Highly recommend if you have the time as the reviews are all positive on All Trails, a great option for navigating hikes.
We made the decision to do the Mist Falls hike and we were not disappointed! I couldn’t recommend this hike enough. All along the trails are small, emerald pools to swim in and fern canyons that feel like a fairytale. I definitely recommend going early around 9 to beat the crowd and have the trail to yourself.
The trip ended with an epic campsite on top of the mountains with the milky way lighting up the sky. One last hike to Tokopah falls in the morning and we were headed home. A perfectly sweet getaway into our very own backyard.
A few on film
Campsite
Night 1: 36°39’24.2″N 118°51’02.1″W