Just five hours north of Los Angeles sits a national park that should be on your outdoor bucket list. It features a valley carved millions of years ago by glaciers, hulking mountains made of granite and other rock, countless waterfalls, massive ancient trees and a cool, clear river. I know what you’re thinking: “That sounds like Yosemite.
” Even better. It’s like Yosemite, but way more chill. Kings Canyon National Park will give you the majestic outdoors respite you’re dreaming of without all the busy trails, swarming crowds and traffic jams at the park entrance gate that come with the Hollywood Boulevard of national parks.
Just west of Fresno, this swath of paradise is the underrated local favorite, with welcoming campgrounds, easy-to-navigate day trails, plentiful backpacking opportunities and swimming holes galore. As I was heading out to report this story, I steeled myself for the typical national park experience. As someone who once accidentally got into a spat with another grown adult at Yellowstone National Park while attempting to help my 5-year-old niece steal a peek at Old Faithful, I know all too well the way chaotic tourist crowds can get under my skin.
But those crowds never materialized. Kings Canyon gets a fraction of the foot traffic that Yosemite does. Last August, Yosemite saw almost 594,000 visitors, and Kings Canyon saw 81,000, according to federal data .
At its busiest, in June of last year, Kings Canyon welcomed 126,000 visitors, which was just .