Moro Rock – The Best Sunset Spot in Sequoia National Park
Looking for the best sunset spot in Sequoia National Park? You’ve found it!
But Kerry, “Isn’t Sequoia National Park just a giant forest full of Sequoia Trees, meaning no epic sunsets?”
Yes and no. Sequoia National Park is home to a giant forest full of Giant Sequoias, however, there’s more to it than just trees. Moro Rock, is a large granite dome which you can see from the road or you can choose to climb its 350 steps to the top. At the top, you will have 360 degree views of epicness and at sunset, these views become EVEN MORE MAGICAL.
This guide has everything you need to know to get to Moro Rock and climb to the top for sunset (or during the day if you prefer), along with where to park, when the road opens to public vehicles, how hard the climb is and whether or not I think it’s worth it. You can probably already figure out what I’m going to say from my opening paragraph. Oops!
Read on for our story of climbing to the top of Moro Rock for sunset during our packed 2 day trip.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links that may earn us a small commission should you decide to click through and make a valid purchase (at no extra cost to you). Thanks so much for your support!
Sequoia National Park Quick Links
📍 Where is Sequoia: California – a 4-5 hour drive from San Francisco
✈ Where to Fly into: Fresno – Find FLIGHTS here!
📆 When to Visit: Best time to visit Sequoia: Summer, Spring or Fall. Winter is also a magical time to visit with the snow!
🛌 Top Places to Stay in Sequoia National Park:
Wuksachi Lodge ⭐⭐⭐ 8.2 rating
The Gateway Restaurant & Lodge ⭐⭐⭐ 7.6 rating
🚗 Rental Car: DiscoverCars is our go-to for the best rental car prices!
Park Permits: America the Beautiful Pass required
Park Hours: 24 hours a day, 365 days a year unless a Winter storm causes road closures
Everything You Need to Know About Climbing Moro Rock
Hike Stats
Distance: 0.8km / 0.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 56m / 183ft
Time: 45 minutes – 1 .5 hours
Dog Friendly: No
Toilets: Yes, in the parking lot
What is Moro Rock
Moro Rock is a giant granite slab which has 350 stairs made out of stone and concrete. It is a popular hike amongst tourists and one of the best sunset views in Sequoia National Park.
Where is Moro Rock Located
Moro Rock is located in Sequoia National Park in California, not too far away from Yosemite so if you have time, I highly recommend doing a Yosemite to Sequoia National Park road trip so that you can see both of these stunning parks!
How to get to Moro Rock
From the Giant Forest Museum, you will need to take the Crescent Meadow Road. Free shuttles run from the Giant Forest Museum to the Moro Rock Parking lot every day in Summer.
On weekends the shuttle is the only way to get to Moro Rock during the day because the Crescent Meadow Road closes to private vehicles.
However if you are wanting to hike to Moro Rock at sunset on the weekend, you will need to drive yourself because the shuttles stop running at 6:30pm. The road will open back up shortly after this.
From the Giant Forest Museum, the drive to Moro Rock is only about 6 minutes. There is a very small parking lot, which was completely full when we arrived but we were able to park along the side of the road with many many other sunset hikers.
Best time to hike Moro Rock
The best time to hike Moro Rock is definitely sunset! Sunrise would be super pretty too and you would probably have less crowds but we opted for sunset.
Why Moro Rock is the best sunset spot in Sequoia
Moro Rock is the best sunset spot in Sequoia National Park because it has an absolutely bonkers 360 degree view overlooking the Great Western Divide’s peaks and the San Joaquin Valley.
Tips for visiting at sunset
- Best months for sunset: Summer and fall
- Aim to reach the top about 30-45 minutes before sunset so that you can get a spot and enjoy the show. (It get’s crowded).
- On the weekends, try to get a spot in the Giant Forest Museum parking lot and watch for the road to open back up. As soon as it does, head straight to Moro Rock so that you can get a good parking spot.
- Bring a headlight for the way back down.
Tips for capturing the perfect sunset shot
I’m not going to lie, it was hard to get a good shot with all of the other people up there. Dave managed to get one of me sitting on top of a rock. The rock that we found was located right at the top before you get to the very end of Moro Rock. It was a little scary to climb onto so be careful and stay sitting if you decide to do this too.
Our camera settings and camera gear for sunset at Moro Rock
Camera: Sony a 7III
Lens: Sony G 16-35 f/2.8
Camera Settings: 34mm, f/4.5, ISO100, 1/160
Is Moro Rock worth it for sunset?
Personally, I think Moro Rock at sunset is worth it! It was great to end the day above the trees rather than amongst them and truly see where we were. I also loved how short the hike was.
Leave no trace
The 7 Leave No Trace principles are important to be aware of to help keep places like the Sequoia National Park beautiful. To remind yourself of the 7 Leave No Trace principles, check out the LNT website.
National Parks Pass
If you are visiting Sequoia National Park, you will need a National Parks Pass. The best deal is usually to purchase an annual America the Beautiful pass which is $80 for US residents and for non residents $250. This pass will enable you to visit as many USA national parks as you want for a whole year.
What to pack for a Moro Rock sunset adventure
👗 Clothing
- Merino t-shirt
- Hiking Pants, shorts or leggings.
- Fleece
- Sunhat, sunglasses and sunscreen
🥾 Adventure Gear
- Daypack
- Reusable water bottle
- Bug spray (the mozzies can be fierce in the forests and on the trails here!)
- Camera!
- Hiking Boots
- Hiking Poles – If you usually hike with poles.
- Headlight
Hiking the Moro Rock Trail
Up Up Up
You will find the trailhead for Moro Rock right next to the restrooms. Straight away, the trail starts going up and doesn’t stop until you reach the top! You will be climbing a concrete staircase which is open to views on the left-hand-side and has rockface on the other side.
The trail goes straight for a while, before winding up through the middle of Moro Rock, where you then pop out on the other side so your views will change.
Reaching the top
We saw lots of people on our way up to the top of Moro Rock, but once we reach the actual top top, we were actually stunning at how busy it was. Most people were sitting down in groups like the were having a picnic to watch the sunset. The top of the rock has rails on either side and all around you and you can walk to the very end to feel like you are on top of the world!
Nearby sights to add to your itinerary
There is a lot more to do in Sequoia National Park than we were expecting. We spent 2 days there and didn’t even tick everything off our list. Must see sights near Moro Rock include Tunnel Log, Crescent Meadow, General Sherman Tree and the Congress Trail.
frequently asked questions
Our thoughts
I loved how accessible Moro Rock was and the fact that it was a super quick hike to reach the top in time for sunset. We had a full day of hiking around Sequoia National Park beforehand and it was super hot so we definitely didn’t have the energy for a huge hike for sunset. Moro Rock was perfect!
The downside to Moro Rock for sunset was definitely the crowds. We visited during peak tourism season in the Summer (July) so this definitely wouldn’t have helped. I imagine that it would be a bit less crowded in literally any other season.
Have any questions or a fun Moro Rock hiking story? Let me know in the comments!
Don’t plan your trip to Sequoia National Park without reading these:
- How to Spend an Amazing 2 Days in Sequoia National Park
- An Incredible 4 Day Yosemite Itinerary
- Instaworthy Photo Spots in Yosemite National Park
- The Ultimate 15 Day California Road Trip Itinerary
- The Best 2 Day Lake Tahoe Summer Itinerary
- Yosemite vs Sequoia National Park
- The Most Instagrammable Spot Near San Francisco
- Beautiful Golden Gate Bridge Photo Spots
- Instaworthy Sequoia National Park Photo Spots
- Must-See Sights in Sequoia National Park for First-Timers
- Is the Tunnel Log Drive Through in Sequoia National Park Worth it?
- The Big Trees Trail in Sequoia National Park
- Hiking the Stunning Congress Trail in Sequoia National Park
- Everything You Need to Know About General Sherman: The Biggest Tree in the World
- Where to Stay in Sequoia National Park
📌 Like it? Pin it!
