Take a Short Hike to Buena Vista Peak

This is the trail you recommend to friends who say they don't hike. Starting from the Generals Highway near Kings Canyon Overlook, you'll climb a gentle but steady path through a mixed conifer forest where Jeffrey pines and red firs filter the light. The trail threads between house-sized granite boulders that kids will want to scramble on, and in July the wildflowers fill every gap between the rocks. The elevation gain is modest — about the equivalent of climbing a 30-story building — but you're already starting above 7,000 feet, so take it easier than you think you need to. The summit delivers one of the best effort-to-reward ratios in either park: a panoramic sweep from Redwood Canyon's ancient groves far below to the jagged Sierra Crest punching the sky to the east. Perfect for families, photographers, or anyone with an hour to spare and a desire to feel like they earned a view.