| Acknowledgments | vi |
| Legend | vii |
| Overview Map | viii |
| Introduction | 1 |
| Park History | 1 |
| The Giant Sequoia | 4 |
| Topographic Features | 4 |
| Planning Your Trip | 6 |
| Getting to Sequoia and Kings Canyon | 6 |
| Getting a Backcountry Permit | 7 |
| Emergency Medical Services (Personal Responsibility) | 7 |
| Using This Guidebook | 8 |
| How This Guide Is Organized | 8 |
| Types of Hikes | 8 |
| Ratings | 8 |
| Distances | 8 |
| Maps | 9 |
| Elevation Charts | 10 |
| Sharing | 10 |
| Backcountry Regulations | 10 |
| Food Storage and Bears | 13 |
| Food Storage Regulations | 14 |
| Zero Impact | 15 |
| Make It a Safe Trip | 17 |
| Being Prepared | 17 |
| Seasons and Weather | 18 |
| Hypothermia--The Silent Killer | 18 |
| Altitude Sickness | 20 |
| Drinking Water and Giardiasis | 21 |
| High Water | 21 |
| Poison Oak | 21 |
| Ticks | 21 |
| Mosquitoes and Biting Flies | 22 |
| Rattlesnakes | 22 |
| Be Bear Aware | 22 |
| Mountain Lions | 24 |
| Sequoia/Kings Canyon Trail Finder | 27 |
| Author's Favorite Hikes | 31 |
| Hikes in the Foothills | |
1 | Lower Colony Mill Trail | 35 |
2 | North Fork Trail | 37 |
3 | Marble Falls | 40 |
4 | Paradise Creek | 43 |
5 | Middle Fork Trail | 46 |
| Hikes in the Giant Forest | |
6 | Upper Colony Mill Trail | 49 |
7 | Sunset Rock | 52 |
8 | Moro Rock and Hanging Rock | 54 |
9 | Sugar Pine Trail | 57 |
10 | Crescent and Log Meadows | 60 |
11 | Round Meadow Trail | 62 |
12 | Huckleberry Trail | 64 |
13 | Congress Trail | 67 |
14 | Trail of the Sequoias | 69 |
15 | Circle Meadow | 72 |
| Hikes in the Central High Sierra | |
16 | High Sierra Trail to Bearpaw Meadow | 75 |
17 | Hamilton Lakes | 78 |
18 | Nine Lake Basin | 82 |
19 | Big Arroyo | 84 |
20 | Redwood Meadow | 86 |
21 | Pinto Lake | 90 |
22 | Little Five Lakes | 91 |
| Hikes in the Lodgepole and Dorst Areas | |
23 | Lakes Trail | 94 |
24 | Alta Peak | 99 |
25 | Alta Meadow | 101 |
26 | Long Meadow Trail | 102 |
27 | Tokopah Falls | 104 |
28 | Twin Lakes Trail | 107 |
29 | Little Baldy | 110 |
30 | Muir Grove | 112 |
| Hikes in the Grant Grove Area | |
31 | Big Stump Loop | 115 |
32 | Hitchcock Meadow Trail | 118 |
33 | South Boundary Trail | 120 |
34 | Manzanita and Azalea Trails | 124 |
35 | General Grant Loop | 127 |
36 | Sunset Trail | 129 |
37 | North Grove and Dead Giant Loops | 133 |
38 | North Boundary and Lone Pine Trails | 136 |
39 | Park Ridge Trail | 139 |
| Hikes in the Redwood Canyon Area | |
40 | Hart Tree Trail | 143 |
41 | Sugarbowl Trail | 147 |
42 | Redwood Canyon | 149 |
43 | Buena Vista Peak | 152 |
44 | Big Baldy Ridge | 154 |
| Hikes in the Cedar Grove and Monarch Divide Areas | |
45 | Deer Cove Trail to Grizzly Lakes | 157 |
46 | Lewis Creek Trail | 160 |
47 | Don Cecil Trail | 163 |
48 | Hotel Creek Trail | 166 |
49 | Roaring River Falls to Zumwalt Meadow | 168 |
50 | Road's End to the Bailey Bridge | 171 |
51 | Junction Meadow | 174 |
52 | Vidette Meadow | 178 |
53 | Upper Bubbs Creek | 179 |
54 | Copper Creek Trail | 182 |
55 | Paradise Valley | 185 |
56 | Rae Lakes Loop | 187 |
| Hikes in the Mineral King and South Fork Areas | |
57 | Paradise Peak | 193 |
58 | Atwell-Hockett Trail to Hockett Meadows | 195 |
59 | Evelyn Lake and Cahoon Rock | 198 |
60 | Cold Springs Nature Trail | 201 |
61 | Timber Gap | 204 |
62 | Crystal Lakes | 206 |
63 | Monarch Lakes | 209 |
64 | Black Wolf Falls | 210 |
65 | Franklin Lakes | 213 |
66 | Farewell Gap | 216 |
67 | White Chief Bowl | 218 |
68 | Eagle Lake | 221 |
69 | Mosquito Lakes | 224 |
70 | Ladybug Camp and Whisky Log Camp | 227 |
71 | Garfield Grove | 230 |
| Hikes in and near the Jennie Lakes Wilderness | |
72 | Weaver Lake | 232 |
73 | Jennie Lake | 235 |
74 | Deer Meadow | 237 |
75 | Mitchell Peak | 240 |
76 | Lookout Peak | 243 |
| Hikes in the Sugarloaf Valley and Mount Silliman Area | |
77 | Roaring River | 245 |
78 | Seville Lake | 250 |
79 | Lost Lake | 253 |
80 | Ranger and Beville Lakes | 256 |
| Hikes in Northern and Eastern Kings Canyon and Eastern Sequoia | |
81 | Goddard Canyon | 258 |
82 | Evolution Valley | 264 |
83 | Dusy Basin | 266 |
84 | Onion Valley to Kearsarge Lakes | 269 |
85 | Charlotte Lake | 273 |
86 | Mount Whitney | 275 |
Appendix A | For More Information | 281 |
Appendix B | Sources and Recommended Reading | 283 |
Appendix C | Hiker's Checklist | 284 |
| Glossary | 285 |
| About the Author | 286 |