If you’re looking for an easy breezy hike, yet greatly rewarding, then Zumwalt Meadows is the way to go. This flat 3 miles trail will take you on a walk pass the iconic roaring river falls, running creeks, and pristine forest to a large meadow surrounding by the towering kings canyon on all sides. This is a must do hikes in Kings Canyon for anybody especially family with kids or those who seek leisure stroll rather than a tiring climb of other nearby hikes.
overview
Location: Cedar Grove area, Kings Canyon National Park, California. See the map here:
Nearby Camping: 4 campgrounds; Canyon Overlook, Sheep Creek, Sentinel, and Moraine. They are all pretty much the same. More info.
Hike: 3 easy miles, largely shaded with a running creek along the entire trail, and a great picnic area with wooden boardwalk around the meadow.
Trailhead: start from roaring river falls and follow sign for Zumwalt Meadows
Note: It’s an over hour drive from other parts of Kings Canyon and Sequoia so be sure that you have a full gas tank.
My friends and I did this hike on our last day in Kings Canyon. It was a great finish hike because it wasn’t too hard and it allowed us to just kind of take it easy.
It was a hot day so the fact that this trail is mostly shaded was a plus. We finally got to the meadows and were surprised by the benches and wooden terrace that we can sit on and have a picnic. We also took a dip in the creek next to the meadow (highly recommended).
One Cool Thing Every Weekend 