Parking
Use the Kings Canyon Visitor Center parking area in Grant Grove Village. Start east on Upper Loop Road for the Manzanita Trail.
Overview
About Manzanita and Azalea Trail
Why go
- High Sierra views along a forest climb
- Links Manzanita, Azalea and South Boundary into one village loop
Heads up
- About 900 feet of climbing over 4.3 miles
- Average wayfinding means junction names matter
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Kings Canyon map
Full mapElevation6,545–7,408 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
8 active Kings Canyon alerts
- ClosureGrant Grove trails and areas closed for prescribed fireMentions Grant Grove, referenced in this guideSome trails and areas around Grant Grove and the General Grant Tree are closed during an active prescribed burn; stay out until crews clear hazards and reopen them.Official details
- CautionStage 1 fire restrictionsStage 1 fire restrictions are active because high fire danger raises the risk of accidental human-caused fires that could threaten visitors and employees.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Kings Canyon Tour Guide
Your drive to Manzanita and Azalea Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Kings Canyon National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Kings Canyon audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Grant Grove Village0:00 / 0:36
“You're coming into Grant Grove Village, a useful stop for ranger advice, a meal, or supplies.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Kings Canyon Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- General Grant Tree and Grant Grove
- The Bird That Plants Pines
- The Life on a Rock
- North Boundary and Lone Pine Loop
- 55 audio storiesacross Kings Canyon’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Mule Deer, Marmot, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 77 trails, 61 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“…The kids and my husband and I all agree that the narration really added to our experience driving through the parks. We learned so much about the history and the flora & fauna.”
Trail guide
Hiking Manzanita and Azalea Trail
The village circuitManzanita and Azalea Trail is a 4.3-mile loop around Wilsonia, the community at Grant Grove.
Manzanita and Azalea Trail is a 4.3-mile loop around Wilsonia, the community at Grant Grove. It starts at Kings Canyon Visitor Center, follows Upper Loop Road to Manzanita Trail, then links Azalea and South Boundary trails before crossing the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway back to the visitor center. Allow 2–3 hours and expect about 900 feet of climbing. It is a good choice when you want a longer forest walk and Sierra views from the village area.
Forest and viewsThe Manzanita climb runs through forest, with ferns and wildflowers along the way.
The Manzanita climb runs through forest, with ferns and wildflowers along the way. Views of the High Sierra open from the higher woodland. When the route’s namesake shrubs flower, manzanita and azalea add a seasonal highlight; bloom timing varies.
Follow the junctionsKeep to the sequence Manzanita → Azalea → South Boundary.
Keep to the sequence Manzanita → Azalea → South Boundary. Route signage is described as average, so check the trail names when paths meet. The final return crosses the Scenic Byway to the visitor center. Staying on the marked tread also protects the fragile vegetation described along this circuit.
At the startThe visitor center is both start and finish.
The visitor center is both start and finish. Water and restrooms are available there; Grant Grove Village’s restaurant and market are separate from the trail. Pets are not allowed on trails in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Kings Canyon
227 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
385 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
188 sightingsMarmotMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
118 sightingsPikaMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
14 sightingsGolden TroutMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
32 sightingsRainbow TroutMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Kings Canyon. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
