The Best Photo Spots in Sequoia National Park

When we decided to add Sequoia National Park onto the back of our Yosemite trip, I didn’t really have super high expectations. I mean it was just a bunch of trees right? Trees that you could find anywhere?

WRONG. Sequoia National Park blew me away! I didn’t think we would be able to get many great shots but boyyyy was I wrong! The trees are MASSIVE! So much larger than you expect them to be and seeing them in real life was definitely one of the highlights of my travel life so far.

This guide has a list of my favourite photo spots in Sequoia National Park, along with the camera settings for each of our photos.

Everything You Need to Know About the Best Photo Spots in Sequoia National Park

📸 Sequoia National Park in a Snapshot

The Best Photo Spots in Sequoia + Our Camera Settings

Map of the Best Photo Spots

Click here to open the Map in Google Maps!

Moro Rock

Distance: 0.8km / 0.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 56m / 183ft
Time: 45 minutes – 1 .5 hours

Moro Rock is one of the best spots for sunset photos in Sequoia National Park. It is a short but steep hike up a granite rock. From the top, you get the most amazing views but keep in mind that it does get quite busy at sunset during Summer.

Camera: Sony a7iii | Lens :Sony G 16-35 f/2.8 | Settings: 34mm, f/4.5, ISO 100, 1/160sec | Time of day: sunset

Tunnel Log Drive Through

The Tunnel Log Drive Through is exactly that. A tunnel made out of a log that you can drive through, which has more recently become a famous Instagram photo spot in Sequoia National Park. I highly recommend getting here just after sunrise to avoid the crowds. We were the only ones here for quite a while. Once the cars start piling up, you will be able to see them up the road behind Tunnel Log so they kind of ruin the shot.

Camera: Sony a7iii | Lens: Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 | Settings: 63mm, f/4.0, ISO 400, 1/60sec | Time of day: just after sunrise

The Congress Trail – Split Tree

Distance: 4.3km / 2.7miles
Elevation Gain: 147m / 482ft
Time:  1.5 hours

This split tree was probably my favourite tree on the Congress Trail. It was just so enormous and having Dave and I stand underneath it showed the craziness of the scale! It’s not the only photo opportunity on the Congress Trail though. There are a few amazing looking groups of trees such as The House and the Senate and also a tree that you can literally jump into!

Camera: Sony a7iii | Lens: Sony G 16-35 f/2.8 | Settings: 22mm, f/7.1, ISO 125, 1/125sec | Time of day: mid-day

Parker Group Sequoias

The Parker Group Sequoias were my favourite group of Sequoias. Not many people tend to stop here as they are on the way to the Tunnel Log Drive Through and there’s not much space to pull over and park your car. If you can though, I 1000% recommend stopping here to get a photo.

Camera: Sony a7iii | Lens: Sony G 16-35 f/2.8 | Settings: 16mm, f/2.8, ISO 320, 1/100sec | Time of day: a bit before sunset

Trees along The Big Trees Trail

Distance: 1.1km / 0.7miles
Elevation Gain: Flat
Time: 30-45 minutes

The Big Trees Trail is a very short but beautiful trail next to the Giant Forest Museum. We walked around the trail at sunrise. In fact, it was the very first thing we did in Sequoia and we went in the very early morning so we were the only ones on the trail. We saw lots of deer and there are lots of stunning groups of trees along this trail. The meadows that you walk around also make for some great photos!

Our thoughts + my favourite photo spot

My favourite photo spot in Sequoia National Park is the Parker Group Sequoias. We were actually searching for it the entire time we were in Sequoia off a photo that I had come across and only found it at the very end which was very exciting!

How long do you need to see Sequoia National Park

We spent 2 days in Sequoia which was a good amount of time but I definitely think you could spend longer. If I had time I would probably spend 3-4 days in Sequoia.

Check out our Sequoia National Park Itineraries to help plan your trip. 

🌲 How to Spend an Amazing 2 Days in Sequoia National Park

🥾 Yosemite to Sequoia National Park: An EPIC 5 Day Itinerary

Where to stay in Sequoia National Park

Sequoia may look small on a map, but the winding mountain roads make travelling to the main sights from outside towns take longer than you would expect. Check out my full Where to Stay in Sequoia National Park guide where I break down the best areas, lodges, nearby towns, and camping options.

Don’t plan your trip to Sequoia National Park without reading these:

• An Incredible 4 Day Yosemite Itinerary
• 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 Photo Spots in Yosemite National Park
• Moro Rock – The Best Sunset Spot in Sequoia National Park
• 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

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