Call it The Grand Canyon's little brother. Kings is one quarter (not in size) of the national park land where we are — there's Sequoia National Park, Sequoia National Forest, Giant Sequoia National Monument and then Kings Canyon National Park. They're all connected and really you could be in one big national park, but the Feds in their questionable wisdom decided to divvy it all up. National parks, we learn, have different rules than say a National Forest or Monument. In the National Parks, everything is sacred ground and there's very little commercial businesses. A few lodges, cafes and shops. Nothing more. National forests and monument, well, the rules change. They are protected areas, but logging is allowed, mining too. Want to put a lodge or a Subway up? Just pay off your congressman and he'll make it happen. The regulations get stretched a bit, let's just say.
For the first time on our trip, the night in our Sheep Creek campsite is cold. I awake shivering in my sleeping bag some time after 1:00 a.m. and fumble about in the tent for some extra layers. In the early morning, it still feels quite cool and after a quick breakfast, we pack up and drive to the end of the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway. We get some more super views of the canyon as we drive.
At the end of the road there is a parking lot, a ranger's station and the trailheads for a number of hikes. We head out on the Mist Falls Trail — 9.4 miles of hoofing it through the canyon fun to what else — Mist Falls.
The cool morning air is now gone and it's hot. We have on our sunscreen and bug repellent which is MUCH needed. The erratic buzzy knats/mosquitos are swarming our faces off. Our eucalyptus spray seems to keep them mostly off me, but Jenn is doing wild badminton swats around her head. It's almost enough to force us back to the car, but we persevere. More bug spray, please!
Here's a little fellow that Jenn almost stepped on.
No, it's not a rattler. So very disappointing, I know. We learn later from the ranger that he's merely a chubby aquatic garter snake. Sigh.... Are we ever going to hear the percussive tail of our friend the rattler?
It's a good hike through the forest, along the rushing river, over large rocks. Yeah, I'm saying it again — it's God's country. Green, rugged and peaceful. The smell of fresh sequoia in the air. Chirping birds and clicking grasshoppers. Pretty sweet to just stop and take it all in, especially with those canyon cliffs all around.
Eventually, the bugs thin out, but the heat doesn't let up. It's our saving grace when the trail meanders into the shaded forest.
Up ahead, there it is, Mist Falls. Not too bad at all, we think.
It's a great place for some lunch, much needed water and to paddle our feet in the ice cold river.
We meet a retired pilot from San Diego who tells us all about the differences between the national parks and national forests. He thinks we're going to love Yosemite. "However, there will be a few more people there than here," he says. We expect this. "Getting a camping spot can be tricky at any time of year," he adds. "It's our most visited park in America."
We get the idea. Book ahead if we can.
We say goodbye, climb up to the falls and get some mist on our faces and camera lense, then do the hike back. The bugs seem to be mostly gone now. I guess it pays to hike later in the day.
Honky is waiting for us in the parking lot. No bears in his front seat — we've dutifully stored all our food in another bear box. We stop at a picnic spot for a carb refuel, then drive into Cedar Grove Village and Visitor Center to see what's going on there. We discover a store and showers — which means ice for the cooler and two clean campers. We then decide to take it back to good old campsite #11 in Sheep Creek. We like this site. Quiet, by the river, no bears.
At least, not yet! C'mon, Yogi and Boo-boo. I got a pick-a-nic basket waiting for you two big fellas!!
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