Sequoia National Park

[Eric Sass]

I'm thinking of taking the family to Sequoia National Park.
Does anyone have any recommendations on where to stay and when best time of the year to go?

Eric

[gardenmomof2]

We are headed up to Lodgepole in the sequoias next thursday for a week and we can not wait. I can give a review when we get back, I have not been to the sequoias in 15 years but I have great memories from there.

I'm thinking of taking the family to Sequoia National Park.
Does anyone have any recommendations on where to stay and when best time of the year to go?

Eric

[kimrb266]

We stayed in Lodgepole a couple years ago and enjoyed our stay.  This campground is directly across the street from the main area (grocery store, laundry and showers).  There are bears in the area but we only heard of 1 during our stay and it was towards the back of the campground where it's more woodsy.   If we stay in Sequoia again, we'll stay in Lodgepole.
 
I don't think it matters when you go, it's always beautiful and comfortable.  We stayed in the Spring if my memory is correct.  
 
Enjoy your trip.

[Eric Sass]

We are headed up to Lodgepole in the sequoias next thursday for a week and we can not wait. I can give a review when we get back, I have not been to the sequoias in 15 years but I have great memories from there.

Let me know how it goes. My email address is ericsass@hotmail.com

[Camping Coxes]

We've been to Sequoia twice and it's one of our favorite places.  We've checked out places while there, and we still love Lodgepole.  It's still camping, very out in the woods, but you have the amenities of showers and groceries, etc.  If possible, ask to be "across the bridge" part of the campground (other side of the river from where the ranger check-in area is).  It's the best area IMHO.
 
Be sure to call for the dimensions of the bear boxes so you'll know if your coolers will fit in there.  They've upgraded them and they're pretty big, but some coolers can be very tall.
 
Have a great time!

[gardenmomof2]

Well we are back from our weeklong trip to Sequoia Kings Canyon and we had a blast! It was a wonderful week, now for the review. We stayed at Lodgepole campground and it was ok. We were close to the store, visitor center and shuttle stop but when we go back we will chose one of the the smaller campgrounds, like Azelea, or one of the stoney creek campgrouds or even Dorst. We just like a bit more space between us and out away a bit more. It did serve as a great place to be for this trio as we were hardley ever at camp and it is a super location for the sights and shuttle just not what we are used to. EWe would go back and love the area.

[austinado16]

Just got back from a Friday/Saturday/part day Sunday in Kings Canyon.  Stayed in the "Sunrise" campground which is about 1/2mi downhill from the general store and visitor center, and maybe a mile from the General Grant Tree.

Bathrooms were spotless.  Bear Boxes are huge....3' or more deep, about 3' high and maybe 4' wide.  Didn't see any bear or hear of any, but the warning signs are all over the place!  We kept everything in the bear box, except for what we had in the fridge.

85*F during the day and 53*F at night, so we wound up using the furnace set on about 65*F each night.

Fortunately we were sort of at the far back loop and over a hill in the campground because in the zone near the cg entrance a few people were flogging generators all day, one RV had barking dogs just tied up outside and owners that would just sit inside and yell at them out a window, and then there was the huge group that spanned the road with dualing campsites, so big they rented an open U-haul trailer to carry all their gear.  Really loud and very rowdy, including a big afternoon game of convict football.  Had we wound up anywhere near these clowns, I would have packed us up and moved....no matter what time it was.

One mistake we made was to bring our 2 dogs.  I guess the rule is: don't bring dogs to a nation park, they're aren't allowed to be anywhere or do anything and can't be left in your camper or vehicle.  We were pretty much held hostage by that little error.

But....the trees and forest are amazing and we can't wait to go back!