This was the ultimate road trip—hauling a trailer through four California national parks and ending at beautiful Lake Tahoe. Over 14 days, we explored deserts, giant sequoia forests, granite cliffs, alpine lakes, and one unforgettable summit hike.
Below is our exact day-by-day itinerary, including drive times, hikes, meals, and pacing. If a restaurant isn’t specifically mentioned, we ate food we packed. And if hiking mileage isn’t listed, the walking was minimal.
Duration: 14 days
Parks visited: 4 National Parks + Lake Tahoe
Driving distance: ~2,500 miles
Longest hike: Half Dome (~20 miles)
Travel style: Trailer camping + park exploration
Day 1: Drive to Joshua Tree National Park
8:00AM – Left home for an 10.5-hour drive to Joshua Tree National Park
- Pack snacks and drinks
- Plan bathroom breaks every 2-3 hours
5:30 PM – Check in to the campground
- We stayed at Joshua Tree RV Campground
6:30 PM – We ate dinner at Sky High Pie
Day 2: Explore Joshua Tree National Park
6:00 AM – Left campground to head for the Cholla Cactus Garden
- Visit the Cholla Cactus Garden
- Hike the Arch Rock Nature Trail
- Explore the Skull Rock Trail
- Climb rocks at the Hall of Horrors
10: 00 AM – Left the park to check out the Joshua Tree Visitor Center
12:00 PM – Lunch and siesta
3:00 PM – Left campground to revisit the Cholla Cactus Garden
- Revisit of the Cholla Cactus Garden, our favorite spot in the park!
- Split Rock Loop Trail
- Keys View
- Cap Rock (0.3-mile loop)
- Hidden Valley Nature Trail (1-mile loop)
6:00 PM – Left the park to get dinner
7:00 PM – We ate dinner at Joshua Tree Saloon
Day 3: Drive to Sequoia National Park
7:00 AM – Packed up campground and left for a 5-hour drive to Sequoia National Park
- We ate breakfast and lunch on the road
12:00 PM – Check in to the campground and set up by 2:00 PM
- We stayed at Three Rivers Hideaway
2:00 PM – Head for the Visitor Center before closing at 4:00 PM
- Get maps and advice for hiking trails
4:00 PM – Sequoia National Park Sneak Peek
- Check out General Sherman (Largest sequoia in the world)
- Stop at Tunnel Rock and Hospital Rock
6:30 PM – Head back to camp
Day 4: Explore Sequoia National Park
8:00 AM – Leave campground and head to Sequoia National Park
9:00 AM – Arrival at Moro Rock
- 0.5-mile out-and-back
- 177 ft elevation gain up steep stairs
- Panoramic views
9:45 AM – Begin Crescent Meadow/Trail of the Sequoias
- Depending on the path you choose, can be a shorter or longer hike. The path we took ended up by a 7-mile loop through old and uncrowded majestic Sequoias. The trail we took also had some crossover with the Congress Trail.
12:30 PM – Tunnel Log – a fallen tree you can drive under
12:45 PM – Hanging Rock
- 0.5-mile out-and-back
- 111 ft elevation gain
- Great view of Moro Rock
1:15 PM – Picnic
3:00 PM – Congress Tree Trail and General Sherman
- Congress Tree Trail is accessible from the General Sherman tree, and highlights some of the largest sequoias, including the President Tree, McKinley Tree, and the House and Senate tree clusters.
- The trail is a 2.7-mile loop – much of it was a repeat of our morning hike.
4:15 PM – Big Tree Trail
- Beautiful, lush, and easy meadow loop with interpretive signs.
- Accessible parking allows for a 0.7-mile loop, otherwise parking at the nearby museum makes it a 1.5-mile loop. Chris dropped me off at the accessible parking area so I could do the loop real quick on my own.
5:00 PM – Left the park to head back to camp
Day 5: Drive to Kings Canyon National Park
11:00 AM – SLEEP IN! We packed up the campground and left for a 1.5-hour drive to Kings Canyon National Park
- We stayed at the Sequoia RV Park
1:30 PM – Left campground and headed to the Boole Tree
- 6th largest sequoia tree in the world
- Location outside the National Park Boundary
4:45 PM -Sneak peek of Grant Grove and the Fallen Monarch
6:00 PM – Left the park to head back to camp
Day 6: Explore Kings Canyon & Sequoia National Park
Most of the Kings Canyon side was closed due to road damage on Highway 180.
8:30 AM – Left campground and headed to Tokopah Falls (on the Sequoia side)
9:30 AM – Hike to Tokopah Falls
- My favorite spot in the park and a moderate 3.4-5 mile out-and-back (mileage depending on parking)
12:00 PM – Picnic and revisit to Big Trees Trail
2:00 PM – Revisit to Grant Grove and the Fallen Monarch
- The General Grant tree is the 2nd largest sequoia in the world
2:45 PM – Visit the Big Stump
- Remains of the once Mark Twain Tree
3:30 PM -Left the park to head back to camp
6:00 PM – Dinner at Gena’s Sierra Inn
Day 7: Drive to Yosemite National Park
11:00 AM – SLEEP IN! We packed up the campground and left for a 2.5-hour drive to Yosemite National Park
- We stayed at the Indian Flat RV Park
This was a chill day. After setting up campground, we didn’t have any specific plans until the next day.
Day 8: Explore Yosemite National Park
9:00 AM – Arrive at the Wawona Swinging Bridge
10:40 AM – Arrive at Mariposa Grove
- Home of the Grizzly Giant sequoia tree – 26th largest sequoia tree in the world, but 1st favorite in my heart
1:00 PM – Glacier Point
- Great view of the Half Dome
2:30 PM – Start Taft Point hike
4:20 PM – Bridalveil Falls
Back to campground – ate dinner at Parkside Pizza
Day 9: Explore Yosemite National Park
10:00 AM – Arrive at Tuolumne Meadows and hiked the Soda Springs
11:45 AM – Arrive at Tenaya Lake and enjoy the stunning scenery
12:15 PM – Olmsted Point and stop and enjoy the view
1:00 PM – Start the May Lake High Sierra Camp trail
Back to campground
Day 10: Explore Yosemite National Park
10:15 AM – Tuolumne Grove Trailhead
3:20 PM – McGurk Meadow Cabin trail
4:10 PM – Tunnel View and enjoy the scenery
Day 11: Explore Yosemite National Park – take it easy day
10:30 AM – Yosemite Valley
- Lower Yosemite Fall Vista Point
- Cook’s Meadow
- Superintendent’s Bridge
- Sentinel Bridge
- Swinging Bridge (doesn’t really swing, and it was PACKED)
3:15 PM – view of El Capitan
Day 12: HALF DOME
4:30 AM – WAKE UP! Fuel and find parking with plans to get to the Mist Trail BEFORE 7:00 am (it was closed between 7-3)
- We parked near the Happy Isles Art and Nature Center, about a third of a mile from the trailhead.
8:00 AM – Got to Nevada Falls (wanted to get there by 9 AM)
9:00 AM – Got to Little Yosemite Valley (wanted to get there by 10 AM)
12:00 PM – Cables (wanted to get there by 1:00 PM)
12:30 PM – At the Top! (wanted to get there by 1:30 PM)
1:30 PM – Subdome (wanted to get there by 2:30 PM)
5:00 PM – Heading to Ahwanhee (wanted to be there by 6 PM)
6:00 PM – Ate at Ahwahnee
Headed to camp and showered and went to bed utterly exhausted!
Day 13: Drive to Lake Tahoe
7:00 AM – We packed up the campground and left for a 5-hour drive to Lake Tahoe
- We stayed at the Zephyr Cove Resort
3:00 PM – Eagle Falls
3:30 PM – Emerald Bay Inspiration Point
4:10 PM – Taylor Creek Boardwalk/Rainbow Trail and Tallac Historic Site
5:30 PM – Logan Shoals Vista Point
Ate at Tahoe Tavern & Grill
Day 14: Drive Home
7:00 AM – We packed up the campground and left for a 9-hour drive home
We did stop in Wendover and got to get in some practice on the Blackjack we’d been practicing.
6:00 PM – Home and happy to see pups and babies!
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