Sequoia National Park, Sequoia National Park

I spent four days at Lodgepole. It was freezing and we had thunderstorms as well. All that should be expected since it's still not quite summer. At night I had to double up on the socks, blankets on top of the sleeping bags and even slept in beanies and gloves. This park is active bear country which means everything from food to lotions, soaps, Chapstick, etc has to be kept in the bear boxes at all times. This also means no washing your dishes at the site. There is a dish sink by each bathroom with only cold water and no lights. We saw bears on two different days. One day was a mama bear and her two cubs looking for food. Cute, but a little scary, especially if you have small kids. We also saw lots of deer, chipmunks and other little critters. The creek is absolutely beautiful. The kids had a great time splashing around even though the water was freezing. We stayed in site #111, which has a nice view and is a little more private. The sites are pretty jammed together, which is a turnoff. I suggest paying the money and getting the site next to the one you want. I had #110 and #111 so I didn't have to worry about walking through someone else's site to get to mine. If you want a great view and want to be near the waterfall, #128 is the one to get. It sells out for the whole year quickly though. The drive up to Lodgepole takes about an hour from the National Park entrance, so you'll have to add that to whatever the travel time is for you to get to the park. There is a US post office, market, deli and grill, ice cream shop and laundromat at the camp's entrance. The only showers are there as well, and they are closed between 1p-3p for cleaning. The cost is $3 in quarters for, I believe, 10mins. If you are in the upper Lodgepole sites, it's about a 4-5 min drive. I highly recommend this campground for hikers or families with kids over 5yrs old.

The best part about this park is the Giant Trees Forest. A must see for nature lovers. Also try the Museum as well. However it is an hour drive from the the main gate to the forest. Be prepared to drive up a narrow and winding road.

Make sure to visit the privately owned Boyden Cave on Kings Canyon Scenic Byway (Hwy 180) between Grant Grove and Cedar Grove. The cave is great! The hike up to the mouth is a little steep and strenuous at first, but my 9 and 7 year olds had no problem. Even though the cave is not as well kept as Crystal Cave (you can tell many people have touched the formations causing them to discolor), the way you see the cave is an adventure in itself. The cave is lit with lights, but you have to duck and curve your body to get around in the cave. They give you a choice to exit either through the way you came in, or through a wet creek bed. If you are heavy set, you may not be able to squeeze through a narrow section of the creek bed exit. Our shoes and feet got wet, but wow, it was great! It's not as cold as I thought it would be. Crystal Cave in the lower part of Sequoia was cold, but Boyden Cave was quite nice. It was just cool at best.

Loved the park for the variety of views it offers: trees, mountains, granite hills, valleys, trails, caves, rivers .. very rich in nature. But be prepared to drive along crazy winding roads for long long distances and ofcourse always have a good pair of walking shoes and comfy jacket.