By Celestine Candida
Kings Canyon, just south of Yosemite, is part of the beauty and majesty that is California's Sierra Nevada mountain range. Next to Sequoia National Park, it is home to some of the largest sequoia trees in the world.
History
In 1806, Spanish explorer Gabriel Moraga, the first European to visit this area, gave Kings Canyon its name.
Significance
Kings Canyon is considered a must-do for the avid hiker with more than 800 trails, including easy, moderate, or difficult treks.
Geography
Grant Grove, Cedar Grove and parts of Monarch Wilderness and Jennie Lakes Wilderness make up the Kings Canyon National Park.
Types
A good day hike would be the 8-hour round-trip to Mist Falls. An overnight back country trip to Paradise Valley would be just right for the adventurous hiker.
Features
Other sports and activities available are swimming, rock climbing, spelunking, fishing and horseback riding, along with cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter.
About the Author:
Celestine Candida is an English instructor at a community college in Southern California. She also writes middle school history and literature curriculum. Her interests in writing are history, film and education. She has a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Wayne State University and a Master of Arts in English from Loyola Marymount.
