Kings Canyon Photo Spots

Hey all,

I'm going to have just 1 day in Kings Canyon National Park next week. So 1 sunset and 1 sunrise to shoot.

I'm right next door in Sequioa NP now, and will be finishing up here 1 day early. So I will take the 45 minute or so drive over there, but unfortunately I do not have time to hike and scout locations like I normally do.

So my question is, for anyone who has been to Kings Canyon before, what are the 2 spots you would recommend for me to shoot above everything else, as far as landscape images go?? What is a must see, and must photograph?

I have time to shoot 2 photos before I hit the road. 1 sunrise Image and 1 sunset image.

Thank you all in advance. I always appreciate the help.

I've seen some nice shots from the Lone Pine area, you have some good views of Whitney from there. About a million westerns were shot in that area. That would be a morning shot and not actually in Kings Canyon.

Personally, and photographically, I don't think Kings Canyon can measure up to Sequoia. It also has been said that John Muir called Kings Canyon "a rival to Yosemite". I would disagree there as well. Having said all that, go to https://www.sunset.com …park-places#grizzly-falls and check the images. Scroll way down for Kings Canyon.

I haven't found any 'roadside' sunset/sunrise locations. I have read that hiking will take you to beautiful lakes at higher elevations where sunrise/sunset shots are possible. Rae Lakes comes to mind. My favorite place in Kings Canyon is Zumwalt Meadow which is at the end of HWY 180. It is a great area for landscapes, but takes some driving to get to.
Tokopah or Grizzly falls are not hard to get to, but don't expect to see something like Yosemite Falls.
Hope that helps

All of the places I would recommend are completely buried in snow and not particularly safe to get to in this high snow year. Are you coming from the east or west? I mean, Bench Lake with Arrow Peak in the background is a great location but it is a hike with 6,000 foot of elevation gain in an area that hasn't yet melted out and has a water crossing that in this high snow year I would expect to be exceptionally dangerous (I turned back in late July in 2017, a similar snow year, when the 1st water crossing which normally is ankle high was "insta-death" due to the snow melt).

Rae Lakes with Painted Lady or Fin Dome is another great photo location. The latest satellite with snow cover overlaid shows that Lower Rae Lakes is melted out but I would check current conditions on the route to that location with a ranger first. Personally, I'm pushing back my Sierra trips until mid August at the earliest, although the trips I had planned are at higher elevations and are still buried in snow.

I was in Lone Pine about 2 months ago. it is on the other side of the Sierra Nevada. No roads cross over there, you have to drive all the way around......which I did, slowly.

I did get some shots of Whitney when I was there.

Yes Sequoia has been amazing, so I don't know if Kings Canyon can impress me right now. But I have 24 hours free, and it is less than a 1 hour drive from me. Thanks for the link, going to check it out!

I don't mind taking a long hike at all. I have all day. A good 6 hour round trip hike would be great.

I was at Yosemite last week and saw and got a image of Yosemite Falls! And it is flowing like it hasn't in years!

Thanks a lot for the help and ideas! but yea, I am definitely not looking to do any high snow alpine hikes. I only have 1 day. Some trail to nice vista that maybe is around 6 hours round trip hike max.