Monday 13 August 2018

We’ve decided we must see Kings Canyon while we are here, especially after viewing the film at the visitor center. John Muir believed this valley rivaled Yosemite in beauty, and who are we to argue with Muir? After breakfast we drive towards Grant Village. The end of the road (appropriately called Road’s End) is about 58 miles from our campsite. Our route winds along the canyon, twisting down turns with spectacular vistas of the river far below and granite cliffs towering above. We take our time driving, both because of the steep curves and turns and because of the views.

We arrive at Cedar Grove around noon and hike up to Cedar Grove Overlook, a 4.8 mile hike with almost 2000 feet of elevation gain in the first two miles. We trudge up the numerous sunny switchbacks in the heat of the day. After 1.9 miles a trail splits off towards the overlook through open forest. Previous fires have left many scorched standing trunks. The undergrowth is lush and green. From the rocky overlook we can see mountain ranges all around including the Sierra Crest to the east with dark thunderclouds above. To the north are more dark clouds and distant rumbles.

We eat our lunch at the lookout and enjoy the breeze. Afterwards, we hurry back along the ridge to get to lower elevation before the storms get any closer. Along the way I finally figure out where the strange, slightly sour and somewhat acrid odor we are smelling on and off as we hike is coming from. The smell is always strongest when we are walking through patches of a particular fern-leafed plant. I photograph the plant in bloom and later find it is called desert sweet. I’m not sure I would have used “sweet” to describe the odor.

After we return to Vincent we drive over to the visitor center to ask how much further it is to Roads End. Five miles, says the ranger. He strongly recommends we stop on the way to see Roaring River Falls, a short walk from the road, and Zumwalt Meadows, a favorite haunt of John Muir. We quickly find Roaring Falls and then drive on to the meadow. O and I are tired and decide to just go and look rather than do the 1.5 mile walk around. Of course that proves to be impossible. The meadow draws us in with its amazing green grasses, tall pines, sequoias and granite peaks. We wander the path around the meadow and our fatigue vanishes. We find ourselves wishing we had more time before sunset to soak it in.

Soon, too soon, it is time to leave. We do not want to drive the canyon roads in the dark. By the time we arrive back at Grant Village it is dusk. We stop for dinner as we are too tired to cook tonight. Then we drive back to camp in the dark, happy to fall into our sleeping quilt for the night.