Sequoia National Park is a place of extremes. In the frontcountry zone of the park, you can find the Giant Sequoia Trees, considered the largest living things on Earth. In the backcountry, you find the tallest peak in the Lower 48 of the United States: Mount Whitney.

Sequoia National Park is a huge park, encompassing thousands of feet of vertical terrain to explore. The main frontcountry area is mostly between 5,000 and 9,000 feet, offering exploration of the montane forest, home to the Giant Sequoias.

This past summer’s thru-hike of the John Muir Trail took me through a large swath of Kings Canyon National Park. We travelled along the western corridor of the park for eight full days, giving me a great sense of appreciation and awe for all that the Park protects.

Kings Canyon is really designed as a backpacker’s park, with most of the over 450,000 acres requiring an overnight hike to access. My first two visits to Kings Canyon National Park were through the backcountry…