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Generals Highway Road Log

The Generals Highway connects the two prominent generals of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, the General Sherman and General Grant giant sequoia trees. The highway begins at the Ash Mountain Entrance in Sequoia at the park boundary with the community of Three Rivers, after State Highway 198 has passed through the town of Visalia and by Lake Kaweah. The highway technically ends at the General Grant Tree Road junction in Kings Canyon. Completed in 1926, the Generals Highway replaced the Colony Mill Road as the principal access for motorists to the Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park. In modern times, the road is open from the Ash Mountain Entrance to Grant Grove, with periodic closures during winter storms beyond the Wuksachi junction.

0.0 mile

Ash Mountain Entrance: The Ash Mountain Entrance heralds the visitor’s arrival to the west boundary of Sequoia National Park. The journey into the park begins in the foothills plant community, a typically hot and arid environment during the summer. Initially, the road follows Middle Fork Kaweah River upstream through a chaparral-covered canyon.

0.2 mile

Entrance Sign: Shortly beyond the Ash Mountain Entrance, a pullout on the right-hand shoulder lets visitors stop and admire the newly restored welcome sign. Created in the 1930s by a member of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the sign was patterned after an Indian head (or buffalo) nickel, commemorating the link between Chief Sequoyah of the Cherokee and the naming of the parks’ most compelling feature, Sequoiadendron giganteum, the giant sequoia. Be on the alert for pedestrians; many visitors stop for the customary photograph in front of the old sign.

0.7 mile

Ash Mountain Visitor Center: Open daily, the Ash Mountain Visitor Center offers visitors an excellent opportunity to acquaint themselves with the park, with a modest selection of interpretive exhibits, as well as an assortment of books, maps, and gifts. Rangers on staff are available to answer questions, write wilderness permits, and rent bear canisters. The visitor center has restrooms, a pay phone, and a small picnic area across the highway.

2.3 miles

Tunnel Rock: When the Generals Highway was originally built during the 1920s, the road passed beneath this massive boulder.

3.8 miles

Potwisha Campground: Potwisha, named for a band of Monache Indians, is an all-year campground, with running water, flush toilets, picnic tables, and a pay phone. At this campground at 2,100 feet, summer temperatures can be quite hot—the more temperate conditions during spring and fall offer more pleasant camping. The campground also provides a trailhead for the 3-plus-mile hike up a stretch of Marble Fork Kaweah River to Marble Falls (see Trip 19).

Directly across the highway from the entrance is a broad flat containing the campground dump station and parking for the short Potwisha Pictographs Loop (see Trip 18). The Middle Fork Trail to Hospital Rock can also be accessed from here (see Trip 20).

6.1 miles

Hospital Rock: The highway continues upstream through Middle Fork Kaweah River canyon until bending north at a fair-size flat known as Hospital Rock. Humans have frequented this hospitable area for hundreds of years, with Native Americans establishing residence as early as the mid-1300s. During the late 1850s, when Hale Tharp passed through on his way to the Giant Forest, hundreds of Monache were residing here and at Potwisha until introduced diseases devastated their population. After most of the Native Americans were gone, the area continued to provide a convenient camp for ranchers, settlers, and explorers. In 1873, James Everton accidentally shot himself in the leg and convalesced at this site, which became known as Hospital Rock.

Founders Group, Giant Forest (Trip 30)

Nowadays, Hospital Rock is a picnic area with running water, restrooms, and oak-shaded tables. Interpretive signs provide information about the former residents, and visitors may find pictographs on some of the nearby rocks. The Middle Fork Trail to Potwisha begins on the uphill side of the picnic area (see Trip 20).

Across the highway from the entrance to the picnic area, is a paved road to Buckeye Campground, open mid-May to mid-October. Inside the campground is the trailhead for the Paradise Creek Trail, but hikers will have to walk the 0.6-mile road from Hospital Rock because only campground guests may park at the trailhead (see Trip 21). A dirt road beyond the campground access road leads another 1.3 miles to a trailhead for the upper section of the Middle Fork Trail (see Trip 22).

9.5 miles

Big Fern Spring: Beyond Hospital Rock, the Generals Highway begins a steep and winding climb up the south wall of the Giant Forest Plateau toward the Giant Forest. Built in the 1920s and 1930s, this highway is something of an engineering marvel. On the way to Big Fern Spring, the vegetation transitions from the drought-tolerant vegetation of the foothills zone to broadleaf evergreens, such as live oaks and laurels, with an occasional incense cedar serving as a harbinger of the coniferous forest above. The spring is named for the giant chain fern, largest of the native Californian ferns.

11 miles

Amphitheater Point: The broad turnout here offers a wide-ranging panorama encompassing the full breadth of Sierra Nevada life zones. The precipitous slopes below are cloaked with the classic oak forest and chaparral of the foothills zone. Directly above lies the distinctive exfoliated granite dome of Moro Rock, bordered by the coniferous forest carpeting the Giant Forest Plateau. In the distance are some of the airy summits of the Great Western Divide, offering the first images of the mighty High Sierra.

12.6 miles

Deer Ridge: From Amphitheater Point to Deer Ridge, the Generals Highway offers glimpses of two distinct rock types—the classic salt-and-pepper-colored granites typically associated with the Sierra and much older metamorphic rocks. Most of the metamorphic rocks are red, but patches of white rocks can be seen scattered across the terrain as well. The white cliffs seen from the vicinity of Deer Ridge are usually made of marble. Since marble is water-soluble over the course of geologic time, natural caverns often form in this rock, with Crystal Cave being the most famous of these caverns in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

13.5 miles

Eleven Range Point: This point is named for its expansive vista, encompassing up to eleven mountain ridges, depending upon the air quality. Unfortunately, the ubiquitous haze coating the atmosphere above the San Joaquin Valley usually clouds the view. Air pollution from Southern California and the Central Valley poses the most significant risk to humans and the natural environment in the parks. Oftentimes, Sequoia and Kings Canyon suffer some of the worst air quality in the national park system.

14.5 miles

Giant Forest: The steep and winding climb eventually leads to the Giant Forest, where a roadside sign heralds your arrival. Gone are the oaks and laurels of the upper foothills zone, replaced by varieties of tall, slender, and straight-trunked trees with short branches, which can tolerate the snowy winters common to the mid-elevation forests. The Giant Forest is the home of the world’s largest living organism, the giant sequoia. Common conifer associates of the Big Trees include incense cedars, sugar pines, and white firs. Deciduous dogwoods are also prevalent, offering beautiful accents of showy white flowers in spring and colorful foliage in autumn.

14.6 miles

Commissary Curve: Crystal Cave Road branches away from the Generals Highway at a sharp bend named for the supply station that served men of the US Cavalry, who protected the park in the early 1900s before the creation of the NPS. Crystal Cave Road follows the upper course of the old Colony Mill Road for 6.4 miles to a parking lot for Sequoia’s only visitor-accessible cave tour. Tickets for the daily tours may be acquired at either the Foothills or Lodgepole Visitor Centers. The road to the cave is open only from mid-May to late October and is not recommended for vehicles longer than 22 feet.

15.1 miles

The Four Guardsmen: Here the highway divides briefly to pass among four stately giant sequoias, which are each estimated to be more than 1,000 years old.

16.7 miles

Giant Forest Village: The several-mile ascent from Middle Fork Kaweah River culminates in your arrival at Giant Forest Village, the center of human activity on the plateau. To the left is a short stretch of road to the visitor parking lot, a bus stop for the Moro Rock-Crescent Meadow shuttle, and access to the Beetle Rock Education Center. The center, operated by the Sequoia Natural History Association, is a hub for naturalist activities, NPS-sponsored meetings, outreach events, and the Family Nature Center.

On the right is the Moro Rock-Crescent Meadow Road, which leads to the namesake features plus several trailheads (see Trips 26–32). Although visitors may drive a private vehicle to either Moro Rock or Crescent Meadow, traffic jams on the narrow roads and crammed parking lots are persistent problems. Therefore, riding the free shuttle bus to these destinations is highly recommended.

Proceeding ahead on the Generals Highway, the Giant Forest Museum is the structure on the right, housed in the renovated old market building, originally designed by renowned architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood. The museum has interpretive exhibits and informational displays about the human and natural history of the Giant Forest. The museum also serves as a hub for several connecting trails of varying lengths leading into the heart of the forest (see Trips 33–39).

17.1 miles

Round Meadow: The half-mile-long Big Trees Trail encircles Round Meadow, offering a short and leisurely hike past some prime examples of mature sequoias on a circuit around a flower-covered meadow. Interpretive signs and benches along the way offer an opportunity for a leisurely stroll. A small lot allows handicapped parking for the wheelchair-accessible trail. Everyone else must begin at the museum (see Trip 35).

18 miles

Pinewood Picnic Area: As part of the Giant Forest’s restoration, this former employee-housing site was converted to a picnic area in 2000. The area is complete with picnic tables, grills, and restrooms. Group and handicapped-accessible sites are also available.

19.2 miles

General Sherman: Handicapped parking and a shuttle stop occupy the former parking area for access to the General Sherman Tree, at more than 52,000 cubic feet, the world’s largest living organism. Giant sequoias grow only in areas with very specific soil, water, and climate conditions, and the Sherman Tree is located near the northern boundary of the Giant Forest. To visit the tree, either ride the free shuttle bus system, or continue driving on the Generals Highway to the Wolverton junction and then follow signs to the General Sherman Tree parking lot.

19.8 miles

Wolverton Junction: Here Wolverton Road branches away from the Generals Highway and heads eastward. At 0.5 mile from the highway, a right turn eventually leads to the expansive General Sherman parking area (restrooms and shuttle bus stop). From there, a 0.4-mile paved path descends to the largest of the giant sequoias. Along the way, the path is imprinted with a cross section of the base of the Sherman Tree, which allows visitors to gain some understanding of the tree’s massive size. A gap in the forest here also allows photographers an unobstructed view of the tree. The popular Congress Trail continues beyond General Sherman (see Trip 39).

Continuing ahead from the General Sherman junction, Wolverton Road travels another mile to a large parking area near Wolverton Meadow, which serves as the trailhead for the Lakes and Panther Gap Trails (see Trips 42 and 43) and a connection to the Alta Trail (see Trips 40 and 41). During the winter, Wolverton is a center for winter recreation.

20.2 miles

Wolverton Creek: A short distance beyond Wolverton Junction, the Generals Highway crosses Wolverton Creek, one of the tributaries of Marble Fork Kaweah River.

21.2 miles

Lodgepole: Similar to the Giant Forest in elevation, the Lodgepole area maintains an entirely different feel, situated in a deep, glacier-carved canyon near the banks of Marble Fork Kaweah River. Although not usually common at elevations below 7,500 feet, lodgepole pines grace the forest in this relatively cool canyon and give the area its name. As the commercial and administrative center of Sequoia, Lodgepole boasts a visitor center, wilderness permit office, market, gift shop, snack bar, deli, laundry, shower facility, post office, picnic area, year-round campground, and the Walter Fry Nature Center. It is the trailhead for the Twin Lakes Trail and the popular 2-mile dayhike to Tokopah Falls (see Trips 44 and 45).

21.3 miles

Marble Fork Bridge: Just past the Lodgepole junction, the Generals Highway crosses a bridge over Marble Fork Kaweah River and passes a service road to employee housing on the right and the serene Lodgepole Picnic Area on the left.

21.5 miles

Silliman Creek: Another tributary of Marble Fork Kaweah River, Silliman Creek drains Silliman Lake near the south base of Silliman Peak.

22.1 miles

Clover Creek: The highway crosses Clover Creek over a handsome arched bridge of hand-hewn stone. A small pullout on the left, upper side of the creek could be used for parking for further exploration of the bridge and creek.

22.8 miles

Wuksachi Junction: As part of the restoration of the Giant Forest, all lodging was moved away from the environmentally sensitive giant sequoia grove to Wuksachi Village in 1999. Along with 102 rooms, the village has a dining room, gift shop, and conference facilities, as well as a trailhead for the Wuksachi Trail (see Trip 47).

23.2 miles

Red Fir Junction: During the Giant Forest’s restoration, maintenance facilities were also relocated to Red Fir. A short distance past the junction is a gate, where the NPS will periodically close the Generals Highway during winter storms. Beyond this gate you’ll see little development for the next several miles, as a relatively quiet section of road weaves through mid-elevation forests composed mainly of firs and pines.

24.9 miles

Halstead Meadow and Picnic Area: The highway passes a picturesque meadow bisected by Halstead Creek. Just past the creek on the left is the Halstead Picnic Area, with picnic tables, grills, and vault toilets but no running water.

26.2 miles

Suwanee Creek: The highway inauspiciously crosses Suwanee Creek, which appears to the casual observer to be little more than a pleasant stream. Hidden from view a mile to the south is Suwanee Grove, a somewhat inaccessible 100-acre pocket of forest harboring nearly 300 giant sequoias, one of the many lesser-known giant sequoia groves in Sequoia and Kings Canyon.

27.8 miles

Little Baldy Saddle: After climbing for several miles, the Generals Highway tops out at Little Baldy Saddle, which sits on the divide between the Marble Fork and North Fork of the Kaweah River. The right-hand shoulder allows vehicle parking for hikers bound for the top of Little Baldy, one of several granite domes poking above the surrounding forest on the west side of the parks. The 1.75-mile hike to the site of a former fire lookout leads to a fine view of the surrounding parklands (see Trip 48).

29.4 miles

Dorst Creek Campground: An access road on the left-hand side of the highway leads down to the fir-shaded campground, open from late June through early September. Although popular, Dorst emits an ambiance of being one of the quieter campgrounds in the parks. Several trails emanate from the campground, including the 2-mile hike to Muir Grove, where hikers can commune with the giant sequoias without the hubbub usually found in the more popular groves (see Trip 49).

30.4 miles

Cabin Creek: Immediately past the highway bridge over Cabin Creek is a small pullout, from where a little-used trail follows the west bank of the creek toward a junction of a trail heading west to Lost Grove (see Trip 50) and then continuing south to Dorst Campground (see Trip 51).

31.3 miles

Lost Grove: Despite its location next to the Generals Highway, Lost Grove is one of the more serene giant sequoia groves in the parks accessible by automobile. The grove is sheltered in a narrow ravine, well-watered by a tributary of Dorst Creek, which produces conditions compatible for growth of the Big Trees. Containing nearly 200 specimens in 50 acres, the upper part of Lost Grove on the north side of the highway has a short nature trail. A longer trail on the south side heads south and then east to Dorst Campground (see Trip 50). This grove is certainly not “lost” nowadays, but the origin of its name remains unclear.

31.9 miles

Sequoia National Park boundary: A historic sign marks your departure from national parklands at the entrance to Giant Sequoia National Monument. Formerly, these lands were simply part of Sequoia National Forest until President Bill Clinton designated the monument in 2000. While the National Park Service is responsible for the parks, the US Forest Service retains oversight of the monument, which includes 33 giant sequoia groves on the west flank of the Sierra.

34 miles

Stony Creek Campgrounds and Day Use Area: Two Forest Service campgrounds, three group campgrounds farther up the highway, and a picnic area provide recreational opportunities near Stony Creek, a tributary of North Fork Kaweah River. The upper campground also has a small parking area at the trailhead for the Stony Creek Trail (see Trip 52).

34.4 miles

Stony Creek Village: On the left side of the highway is a seasonally open lodge with motel-style accommodations, a general store, restaurant, showers, and gas station.

38.2 miles

Montecito Sequoia Lodge: Also on the left side of the highway, Montecito Sequoia is an all-season, all-inclusive resort near a private lake. Lodging is available in hotel-style rooms, suites, or cabins.

38.7 miles

Big Meadow Road Junction: The Big Meadow Road provides access to Horse Camp, Buck Rock, and Big Meadows Campgrounds and Buck Rock Lookout, as well as trailheads for trips into Jennie Lake Wilderness (see Trips 53–56).

39.3 miles

Big Baldy Saddle: The highest point on the Generals Highway is reached at Big Baldy Saddle (approximately 7,600 feet), which also coincides with the Kings Canyon National Park’s east boundary. For the next few miles, the highway follows the boundary between the park on the left and national forest land to the right. A broad shoulder at the saddle provides parking for the Big Baldy Trail, which travels 2-plus-miles to the top of a granite dome with a fine 360-degree view (see Trip 57).

41.3 miles

Buena Vista Trailhead: A small parking area on the left-hand side of the highway provides limited parking for the 1-mile hike to the top of Buena Vista Peak and a view of the Redwood Mountain area (see Trip 58).

41.4 miles

Kings Canyon Overlook: On the right-hand side of the Generals Highway is a parking for an overlook of the deep clefts of the South Fork and Middle Fork Kings River canyons, some of the deepest canyons in North America. Interpretive signs help to identify the distant snow-clad peaks rising above these deep holes, which provide the headwaters for these two forks of the Kings River. Closer at hand to the northeast is Buck Rock Lookout.

42.4 miles

Quail Flat Junction: The major junction at Quail Flat provides access to a variety of destinations. The narrow, dirt road on the left leads 1.7 miles to Redwood Saddle, where trails access Redwood Mountain Grove, the largest giant sequoia grove on the planet, where thousands of giant sequoias thrive in the drainages and hillsides of aptly named Redwood Mountain (see Trips 59–60).

Paved Tenmile Road to the right leads to Tenmile and Landslide Campgrounds, and Logger Flat and Aspen Hollow Group Campgrounds, on the way to Hume Lake. The lake offers swimming at Sandy Cove, picnicking at Powder Can, and camping at Hume Lake Campground. Hume Lake Christian Camps above the southwest shore has a general store with gas pumps, a snack shop, gift shop, and boat rentals available to the general public.

From Quail Flat, FS Road 14S02 leads to remote giant sequoia groves, including the Kennedy Meadows Trailhead and Evans Grove (see Trip 56).

43.1 miles

Redwood Canyon Overlook: A pullout on the left-hand side of the highway offers a wide-ranging view of the Redwood Mountain Grove. Careful observation soon reveals the characteristically round crown of giant sequoias, which differs from the tops of its usual associates—white firs, incense cedars, and sugar pines. More than 15,000 specimens of giant sequoia larger than one foot in diameter, along with tens of thousand younger sequoias, call the grove home.

43.4 miles

Kings Canyon National Park boundary: At 0.3 mile from the overlook, the Generals Highway forsakes the national forest land present on the right-hand side for the last few miles and now travels wholly within Kings Canyon National Park.

46.1 miles

Y-junction with Kings Canyon Highway: Although the Generals Highway technically continues another 2.8 miles to the General Grant Tree, for our purposes the road log for the Generals Highway ends at the Y-junction with Kings Canyon Highway. A left turn at the junction will lead shortly out of the park beyond the Big Stump Entrance and toward Fresno. A right turn will continue through Grant Grove and ultimately into Kings Canyon proper.