Kings Canyon, California
| Kings Canyon | ||
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.jpg) Kings Canyon |
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| location | California (USA) | |
| Waters | South Fork Kings River | |
| Mountains | Sierra Nevada | |
| Geographical location | 36 ° 47 '16 " N , 118 ° 36' 59" W | |
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| Type | Ice Age trough valley | |
The Kings Canyon is the deepest at 2,500 meters valley of North America. It is located in the southern Sierra Nevada in the US state of California . The South Fork Kings River , the southern headwaters of the Kings River , has its source in it . The valley is a glacial trough valley and was carved out of the granite of the mountain range by glaciers . The steep walls of the narrow valley in the upper part qualify it as a gorge . Because the horizontal alignment is missing, it is not a canyon according to German usage .
Together with the valley of the Middle Fork Kings River to the north and other smaller areas, Kings Canyon is part of the Kings Canyon National Park , which is part of the Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks . Only the lower part of the valley with east-west orientation is accessible from Fresno via the California State Route 180 strait . The higher altitudes can only be reached via mountain hikes or on pack tours by horse or mule.
The headwaters of the South Fork Kings River is located in a sweeping high valley with a multitude of mountain lakes at an altitude of 3400 meters. The long-distance hiking trail John Muir Trail runs through it , and the high valley can also be reached by mountaineers from the Owens Valley on the eastern flank of the Sierra Nevada via the 3485 meter high Taboose Pass .
