Kanawyer Loop Trail

Kanawyer Loop is a 5-mile circuit from Road’s End along the South Fork of the Kings River to Bailey Bridge, then back on the opposite side of the river. It gains about 150 feet and takes around 2.5 to 3 hours with stops. I’d choose it for a long, easy-paced canyon-floor walk, not a quick outing: you get open river views, a shady stretch of cedars and ferns, then a rougher return through rock and meadows.

Start by the Road’s End permit station and follow signs for Bubbs Creek, Mist Falls and Paradise Valley. The route crosses Copper Creek on a wooden footbridge, then spends its first mile and a half on a broad, loose, sandy trail with little shade. The canyon walls open up around you; look southeast for the Sphinx and watch for a faint seasonal waterfall on the south wall. Around mile 1.5, the path drops into incense cedars, ferns and horsetails, with firmer footing and the river close by.

At about two miles, take the right branch toward Bailey Bridge; the left fork continues toward Mist Falls and Paradise Valley. The bridge crosses the South Fork near the Bubbs Creek confluence, with a good look both up and down the river. It makes the best photo stop on the loop. On the far side, keep right at the Bubbs Creek junction to stay on Kanawyer; the left branch heads farther into the backcountry.

The return has rough granite and a few small, unbridged stream crossings. Spring and early-summer flows can make them difficult, so check conditions before committing to the loop. After the rockier section, the trail opens into sunny meadows with views toward Grand Sentinel and North Dome. In spring and summer, look for pussypaws and lupines; near mile 3.9, a house-sized boulder bears an old “W. B. 1912” inscription. Sugar pines shade the last stretch by the river. Near the end, take the Road’s End bridge to close the circuit; River Trail continues toward Zumwalt Meadow.

Use the day-use parking beside the permit station at the end of Highway 180, beyond Cedar Grove Village; the larger overnight backpacker lot is separate. Day hikers don’t need a wilderness permit. Cedar Grove is seasonal, typically open from May through early or mid-November, with dates shifting with weather. Pets aren’t allowed on park trails.