Ranger-Led Snowshoe Walk - Kings Canyon National Park

Since we both wanted to snowshoe, but I had no previous experience, we signed up to go on a Ranger-led snowshoe walk. The walk started at the Kings Canyon Visitor Center in Grant Grove Village. There was no fee for the walk or the park-owned snowshoes. Once we picked up the snowshoes, we walked across the plowed street to the snow before putting on the snowshoes. After ensuring everyone had their shoes on correctly, the leader explained that we would be walking through and around the meadow behind the restaurant. We walked single file and stopped often to learn about trees, animals, and water hazards in the meadow. We learned how to walk up a short, but steep, hill and how to glide down it on the far side. This was one of the best experiences we've had in any park and we look forward to doing it again. We visited Kings Canyon National Park in March 2018.

Snowshoes stored in the visitor center

Our leader ensuring everyone is on the trail

Blue and green reflectors mark two different trails

View across the meadow

Snow falling behind the restaurant

It would be easy to get lost as the snow covers our tracks

A pair of cedar trees grew too far out in the meadow and "drowned"

 

Cross-country ski tracks parallel ours

  

Water is a deadly hazard in winter, but we crossed over a culvert

 

The stream is barely visible under the snow

Our previous tracks are nearly obliterated

 

Back to the back of the village

 

Looking back at our current tracks

 

End of the walk

Entrance to Sequoia and/or Kings Canyon National Parks requires an entry fee of $30 per passenger vehicle for a 7-day pass. Any of the America the Beautiful passes may be used instead.

The park website is https://www.nps.gov/seki.