Deer Cove To Cedar Grove

Climb up through the scrubby gorges of the Monarch Wilderness to slanted meadows draped across several of Kings Canyon's most impressive peaks and crags. Crest over a ridge through lush high-elevation Sierra forest, where more hidden meadows await, and descend through alternating charred and healthy sections of forest back to the Kings River below. This route is best done with shuttling abilities, as otherwise it would add several flat road miles to an already fairly massive day hike. There is a large amount of burn land on this hike, and the lack of cover can make the consistently steep 5-mile ascent difficult. The views, however, are consistently stunning, and the scenery and landscape only improve throughout the hike and seem to be evolving for you as you go. Even the burned acreage on the way down Lewis Creek Trail at the beginning of the long descent has a stark and lonely loveliness. Descending back to the canyon floor as dusk settles in is a special treat. This is a real monster of a day hike, but the payoffs are fantastic!