Educational Offerings

Educational programs at the parks include museum-style exhibits, ranger- and naturalist-led talks and walks, film and other programs, and sightseeing tours, most of them conducted by either the park service or the nonprofit Sequoia Parks Conservancy. Exhibits at the visitor centers and the Giant Forest Museum focus on different aspects of the park: its history, wildlife, geology, climate, and vegetation—most notably the giant sequoias. Weekly notices about programs are posted at the visitor centers and elsewhere.

Grant Grove Visitor Center at Kings Canyon National Park has maps of self-guided park tours. Ranger-led walks and programs take place throughout the year in Grant Grove. Cedar Grove and Forest Service campgrounds have activities from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Check bulletin boards or visitor centers for schedules.

Exhibits

Giant Forest Museum. Well-imagined and interactive displays at this worthwhile stop provide the basics about sequoias, of which there are 2,161 with diameters exceeding 10 feet in the approximately 2,000-acre Giant Forest. Sequoia National Park, California, 93262. 559/565–4436. Free. Hrs vary, but usually late May–early Sept., daily 9–5 (sometimes until 6), and weekends and holidays the rest of the year.

Programs and Seminars

Sequoia Parks Conservancy Evening Programs. The Sequoia Parks Conservancy offers hikes and evening lectures during the summer and winter. The popular Wonders of the Night Sky programs celebrate the often stunning views of the heavens experienced at both parks year-round. Sequoia National Park, California. 559/565–4251; www.sequoiaparksconservancy.org.

Free Nature Programs. Almost any summer day, ½-hour to 1½-hour ranger talks and walks explore subjects such as the life of the sequoia, the geology of the park, and the habits of bears. Giant Forest Museum, Lodgepole Visitor Center, and Wuksachi Village are frequent starting points. Look for less frequent tours in the winter from Grant Grove. Check bulletin boards throughout the park for the week's offerings. California. www.sequoiaparksconservancy.org.

Junior Ranger Program. Children over age five can earn a patch upon completion of a fun set of age-appropriate tasks outlined in the Junior Ranger booklet. Pick one up at any visitor center. California. 559/565–3341.

Sequoia Parks Conservancy Seminars. Expert naturalists lead seminars on a range of topics, including birds, wildflowers, geology, botany, photography, park history, backpacking, and pathfinding. Reservations are required. Information about times and prices is available at the visitor centers or through the Sequoia Parks Conservancy. Sequoia National Park, California. 559/565–4251; www.sequoiaparksconservancy.org.

Tours

Sequoia Parks Conservancy Field Institute. The Sequoia Parks Conservancy's highly regarded educational division conducts half-, single-, and multiday tours that include backpacking hikes, natural-history walks, astronomy programs, snowshoe treks, and custom adventures. 47050 Generals Hwy., Unit 10, Three Rivers, California, 93271. 559/565–4251; www.sequoiaparksconservancy.org. From $150 for 2-hr guided tour.

Sequoia Sightseeing Tours. This locally owned operator's friendly, knowledgeable guides conduct daily interpretive sightseeing tours in Sequoia and Kings Canyon. Reservations are essential. The company also offers private tours. Three Rivers, California, 93271. 559/561–4189; www.sequoiatours.com. From $79 tour of Sequoia; from $169 tour of Kings Canyon.