32 Underrated National Parks Perfect for Avoiding Summer Crowds

26. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, California: Giant Quiet in the Shadow of Yosemite

While Yosemite battles summer congestion, neighboring Sequoia and Kings Canyon quietly offer just as much grandeur—without the lines. Wander among groves of towering sequoias, including the General Sherman Tree, the largest living tree on Earth. Then descend into Kings Canyon, a vast, glacially carved wilderness that rivals Yosemite Valley in scale and beauty. With fewer crowds and just as much drama, these twin parks offer a stunning mix of alpine lakes, granite cliffs, and hushed forests. It’s a humbling, peaceful place where the scale of nature gently silences the noise of everything else.