I’ll be riding in The Sequoia/Kings Canyon NP next week. Yes, I know it’s tourist season…it’s also a 14 hour drive from my home and gas is $7/gallon, so I’m clearly insane. It’s a bucket list zone for me and I have a week away from all responsibility, so this is the opportunity that I have to do it.
Plan is to beat the heat and the cars by launching rides at around 4:30am, and with the solstice, that should mean some sweet morning lighting as a bonus. I’m staying in Three Rivers.
Seems that the three must rides are Generals Highway out and back from the south to Sherman Tree, Mineral King and also Kings Canyon/Highway 180. I am curious if anybody has any other route intel, specifically roads that might have fewer vehicles and perhaps some chill gravel. I am comfortable riding 100ft of climbing/mile up to about 70 miles or thereabouts. Would be cool to ride a loop or two, since my current route list is all out-and-back routes.
A couple specific questions - Since the General’s Highway North side intersects with Kings Canyon/Hwy 180, which I plan to ride, I am curious if General’s Hwy North side is worth riding as well? It’s clearly less twisty than the south side, but might be a great descent?? I also noticed a road shooting off General’s Hwy North side called Big Meadows. Any thoughts on this one? I imagine it’s very pretty but if anyone has ridden it and has opinions, please share.
Another one that could be convenient for me is Highway 245 between Woodlake and Happy Gap. Pics look pretty fun, kind of rolling terrain but might get hot af? Again, any opinions much appreciated.
Also curious if anybody knows of good (or very bad) places to eat in the Three Rivers area.
Did Generals Highway (Three Rivers to Sherman’s Tree) on a Friday in early May. Pavement is great, but there really isn’t a shoulder, only lots of pullouts. Since it was a weekday in non-tourist season, traffic wasn’t an issue. The speed limit is 25 mph and most people generally drove relatively slow (although not necessarily 25 mph). Drove into the park the following day (Saturday), and traffic was significantly worse. You’re going to lots of traffic given it’s tourists season, so if you can, I suggest ride this on a weekday since I assume the weekend will just be worse.. The first available water is at the Giant Forest Museum, so be cognizant of the fact that you have a long way to go before you’ll get to water. There’s a drinking fountain inside that you can use to refill your water bottles. The decent is great (although again, had very little traffic when I did it). My husband has a ~9 minute video of this entire ride (up and down). Reply if you’re interested in seeing it and I’ll figure out how to get you a link.
Drove (not rode) Generals Highway north side, basically the ridge between Lodgepole Visitor’s Center and Kings Canyon. Much wider road (traffic lanes). Can’t remember whether it had a shoulder. More of a sweeping turns type of route, so could be pretty fun to ride.
As for Highway 245, I drove from 180 down to Badger and also rode a short section near Pinehurst. It’s a very narrow road and has very steep pitches / tight turns, especially between 180 and Pinehurst. I don’t remember the speed limit, but it certainly wasn’t 25 mph like in the park. Probably more like 45 or 50 mph. Personally, I wouldn’t do a ride from Woodlake to Happy Gap due lack of shoulder, lots of blind curves, and relatively high speed traffic. If you wanted to ride in that area, I’d try to find side roads that go parallel to 245.
I also did a big loop on the back roads in the Dunlap area (just west of Pinehurst off on 245). Nice route with decent pavement and not much traffic.
Do you have a ridewithgps or Strava link to the loop that you rode near Dunlap?
I hear what you’re are saying about traffic. I’m pretty experienced with riding in National Parks, but I expect this to be on another level of vehicle congestion after about 9am. Gonna be some zero dark thirty start times with a powerful taillight and hope for the best.
Here’s a link to the Dunlap Loop. None of the back country roads around there had much traffic, so I think you could easily extend the route if you want to make it longer. I would just wouldn’t do too much riding on 245. This route has a short section on 245, but if you go in the direction I rode it, you’ll be descending so you’re not on it for very long.
If you’re looking for another route in the general area, this was also a very nice ride on backroads with some good climbing.
Woodlake/Central valley in general will be hot AF. Source - I grew up between Exeter and Woodlake. Same for anything up to around 5000 elevation at anything during daylight hours. Although I’ve never actually ridden it, I have a cabin in Silver City, below Mineral King so I’ve driven the road many many times. While they have done lots of improvements on the road surface, there are soo many blind corners combined with touristy type folks driving up who for some damn reason don’t drive the caution a narrow mountain road with deadly drop-off deserves. It can and has certainly been done by bike, but I urge the utmost care in deciding if you think it’s worth doing it during the summer. Probably less traffic during the week, but ideally you would come back and attempt in early spring or fall when the road is still “officially closed” but easily bypassed by bike (two locked gates prevent cars who aren’t parks service or cabin owners from being there when they shouldn’t). I live in San Diego now so I’m sorry I’m not there to act as emergency support/cold beer at end. I didn’t really get into riding until after left for college and I’m not a climber so unfortunately I don’t have any other good Intel. Do get some chocolate from Reimers though , and a Wells deserved slice of pie at the Silver City store if you do make it up, it’s the family tradition! DM me if you need any other helpful info though
As someone else mentioned, 245 North out of Woodlake is not super narrow per se but rarely has wide enough shoulder to be at ease, and people haul ass on the route so use caution there as well
Food recs from highschool friend who is still local and frequents 3R:
“Sequoia Coffee and Kitchen, Sierra Subs, Riverview, the brewery is supposed to be good. Those are breakfast, lunch and dinner in that order. All of those places are also riverfront with good views. “
I can personally vouch for the Muffaletta at Sierra Subs (which is one of the highest rated sandwich shops in the country or something per Yelp)
I live on 245 north of Woodlake and yes it is hot as can be this time of year. My personal experience riding that road a bunch is that vehicles are very respectful of bicycles and give a wide berth. That are some tight windy areas though. By about 11am it gets really hot.
Best restaurant by far in Three Rivers is Tony’s Taverna and I will give a big +1 on Sequoia Coffee which has a great outdoor seating area overlooking the river and fairly shaded. Great spot for breakfast/coffee but it does get busy. Wild Blackberry ice cream at Reimer’s is a must.
Good luck and be safe on General’s Highway,the switchbacks getting up to the main part of the park are gnarly and there is a lot of traffic this time of year.
I lived in Fresno for years, and have biked around the Three Rivers area and also to the end of Kings Canyon (no on your list, and would be a long addition).
I can’t comment directly from experience on going up into the Sequoia part of the park from Three Rivers side, although I had intended to make a big loop out of it at some point. I’ll try to get back to this tomorrow at a computer and say more.
But if you have half a day free while staying in three Rivers, Yokohl Valley out of Exeter maybe my favorite place to ride ever. It’s stunning and rolling and minimally trafficked. Deserves to be on your bucket list even though it’s not known outside of local folks.