Mineral King Valley, an open glacial canyon hemmed in by the peaks of the Great Western Divide, this area is only accessible only by a long, slow going road.
Mineral King first gained recognition in the early 1870's when silver was discovered in the valley. Miners rushed to the area in 1873. The mines never produced, but the Mineral King Road, built by a mining company in 1879, did open the area to logging, hydro-electric development, tourism and the building of summer cabins.
The valley and surrounding peaks of Mineral King, some 12,600 acres, were transferred from the national forest to Sequoia National Park by act of Congress in September, 1978.
Mineral King is accessible only by a long, slow road which branches off of Highway 198 east of the town of Three Rivers. This 25-mile long road contains 698 curves. Allow 2 hours to reach Mineral King from Highway 198. This road is not recommended for trailers and RVs.
