Buena Vista Trail is a short, easy hike in Kings Canyon National Park. This hike zigzags gently back and forth up the ridge to overlook California to the west. It is an out-and-back hike and runs just 2 miles roundtrip with gentle elevation gain to the destination.
Buena Vista Trail is located south of Grant Grove Village between Kings Canyon National Park headquarters and Sequoia National Park. This makes it a good hike for when you travel between the two parks. There is a nice parking area, and the hike was never busy when we passed the trailhead.
From the trailhead, the trail hikes to the top of the ridge directly west. However, the trail meanders along the ridge line, which adds distance, but mitigates the climb. For this reason, the trail is never very steep, but is quite enjoyable as you travel. Be aware that there is very little shade on this hike, so make sure to use sunscreen and avoid the heat of the day. Though this is bear country, we didn’t see a bear, but we did spot squirrels, chipmunks, and several types of birds including a white-headed woodpecker. We also enjoyed the wildflowers in late June.
Eventually, the Buena Vista trail in Kings Canyon reaches a line of massive granite boulders on top of the ridge. You can climb up on the boulders to get a little higher. Since it was early in the day, we found a gap in the boulders and moved around to the shade on the west side. The view to the west is expansive, and we wished we’d come at sunset as this would be the perfect place to watch the sun slip into southern California. There was a lot of smoke and smog in the air when we hiked.
The trail back was our favorite kind– all down hill. We took it rather quickly and the short mile seemed almost effortless. This trail really does offer a buena vista, or good view, so add it to your Kings Canyon National Park itinerary. The entire hike is 2.0 miles with an elevation gain of 410 feet.
