Parking
Start at Redwood Canyon Trailhead at Redwood Saddle. The area is not reachable by vehicle in winter.
Overview
About Redwood Canyon to Big Springs Trail
Why go
- A long approach into an extensive old-growth sequoia grove
- Young sequoias show how fire renews the forest
Heads up
- The 11.3-mile return walk makes Big Springs a full-day destination
- You retrace the same route on the way back
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Kings Canyon map
Full mapElevation4,879–6,322 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
8 active Kings Canyon alerts
- 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
- ClosureGrant Grove trails and areas closed for prescribed fireSome 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
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Kings Canyon Tour Guide
Your drive to Redwood Canyon to Big Springs 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
Redwood Canyon at Redwood Saddle0:00 / 0:27
“You're nearing Redwood Saddle, the trailhead for Redwood Canyon's sequoia walks.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Kings Canyon Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Redwood Mountain Overlook
- The Pika's Winter Hay
- Why Snow Turns Pink
- Kings Canyon Overlook and Buena Vista Peak
- 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 Redwood Canyon to Big Springs Trail
The full walkThis is an 11.
This is an 11.3-mile out-and-back from Redwood Canyon Trailhead at Redwood Saddle to Big Springs. Follow the Redwood Canyon Trail down the canyon along Redwood Creek, then continue on the Big Springs spur to the spring and return the same way. The spur itself is about 3.6 miles from its junction; the approach from Redwood Saddle adds roughly 2 miles each way. Allow about 6.5 hours. The route drops roughly 1,400 feet to Big Springs, then climbs back to the saddle.
A sequoia grove shaped by fireRedwood Canyon holds one of the largest giant sequoia groves and a broad area of old-growth…
Redwood Canyon holds one of the largest giant sequoia groves and a broad area of old-growth trees. Fire has shaped the grove for generations; look for young sequoias growing among burned patches. This is a long walk through the canyon forest, not a quick stop at one named tree, and Big Springs is the turnaround.
Access and rulesStart at Redwood Canyon Trailhead at Redwood Saddle.
Start at Redwood Canyon Trailhead at Redwood Saddle. The canyon is not reachable by vehicle in winter, so plan the hike for a season when the access road is open. Pets are prohibited on park trails. An overnight wilderness permit is required if you plan to camp; no day-hike permit requirement was found.
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.
