Park Picnic Areas

Park Picnic Areas

Yosemite National Park

Ready-made picnic lunches are available at Ahwahnee and Wawona with advance notice. Otherwise, stop at the Food Court at Yosemite Lodge for a pre-packaged salad or sandwich, or at grocery stores in the village to pick up supplies. There are 13 designated picnic areas around the park; restrooms and grills or fire grates are available only at those in the valley. Outside the valley, there are picnic areas at Cascades Falls, Glacier Point, Lembert Dome, Mariposa Grove, Wawona, Tenaya Lake, and Yosemite Creek.

Cathedral Beach is on Southside Drive underneath spire-like Cathedral Rocks. There are usually fewer people here than at the eastern end of the valley. No drinking water.

Tucked behind the Ahwahnee Hotel, Church Bowl nearly abuts the granite walls below the Royal Arches. If you're walking from the village with your supplies, this is the shortest trek to a picnic area. No drinking water.

At the western end of the valley on Northside Drive, the El Capitan picnic area has great views straight up the giant granite wall above. No drinking water.

On Southside Drive, Sentinel Beach is right alongside a running creek and the Merced River. The area is usually crowded in season. No drinking water.

East of Sentinel Beach on Southside Drive, Swinging Bridge is the name of a little wooden footbridge that crosses the Merced River, just past the picnic area. No drinking water.

Right next to Sentinel Beach on Southside Drive, Yellow Pine is named for the towering trees that cluster on the banks of the Merced River. No drinking water. No restroom.

Sequoia National Park

Crescent Meadow. This area near Moro Rock has vistas over the meadows. Tables are under the giant sequoia, off the parking area. There are restrooms and drinking water. Fires are not allowed. End of Moro Rock-Crescent Rd., 2 6/10 mi east off Generals Hwy. (Rte. 198).

Foothills Picnic Area. Near the parking lot at the southern entrance of the park, this small area has tables on grass. Drinking water and restrooms are available. Near Foothills Visitor Center.

Halstead Meadow. Tables are at the edge of the meadow at this area off the main road and a short walk from parking. Grills and restrooms are provided, but there's no drinking water. The Dorst Campground is nearby. Generals Hwy. (Rte. 198), 4 mi north of Lodgepole junction.

Hospital Rock. Native Americans once ground acorns into meal at this site; outdoor exhibits tell the story. Tables are on grass a short distance from the parking lot. Grills, drinking water, and restrooms are available. The Buckeye Flat Campground is nearby. Generals Hwy. (Rte. 198), 6 mi north of Ash Mountain entrance.

Pinewood Picnic Area. Picnic in Giant Forest, among the giant sequoia trees. Drinking water, restrooms, and grills are provided. Generals Hwy. (Rte. 198), 2 mi north of Giant Forest Museum, halfway between Giant Forest Museum and General Sherman Tree.

Wolverton Meadow. At a major trailhead to the backcountry, this is a great place to stop for lunch before a hike. The area sits in a mixed-conifer forest adjacent to parking. Drinking water, grills, and restrooms are available. Wolverton Rd., 1 1/2 mi northeast off Generals Hwy. (Rte. 198).

Kings Canyon National Park

Big Stump. At the edge of a logged sequoia grove, some trees still stand at this site. Near the park's entrance, the area is paved and next to the road. It's the only picnic area in either park that is plowed in the wintertime. Restrooms, grills, and drinking water are available, and the area is entirely accessible. Just inside Rte. 180, Big Stump entrance.

Columbine. This grassy picnic area near the sequoias is relatively level. Tables, restrooms, drinking water, and grills are available. Grant Tree Rd., just off Generals Hwy. (Rte. 198), 1/2 mi northwest of Grant Grove Visitor Center.

Grizzly Falls. A short walk from the parking area leads to a grassy picnic spot near the bottom of a canyon. The area is not level. Tables and restrooms are available, grills and water are not. Off Rte. 180, 2 1/2 mi west of Cedar Grove entrance.