Fresno is the biggest city of California's Central Valley, a flat, sunburnt metropolis of over half a million people surrounded by some of the most productive farmland in the world. Raisins, almonds, grapes, figs, peaches and oranges all come from this valley, and the city was once the raisin capital of the world, a distinction it still takes some pride in. In summer it can be brutally hot, with temperatures above forty degrees Celsius for days at a time, while in winter, a thick ground fog known as tule fog sometimes hangs over the roads for days.
The city has a layered history. Basque, Armenian, Portuguese, Hmong, Punjabi and Mexican communities have all left a mark, and you can taste it in the restaurants, from Armenian bakeries to taquerias and Basque dinners. The Tower District, with its old art deco theatre, is the lively quarter, and the Forestiere Underground Gardens, a maze of tunnels and sunken orchards dug by an Italian immigrant, Baldassare Forestiere, to escape the summer heat, is a strange and delightful curiosity.
The ride begins on Highway 180, the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway, which leaves the flat farmland and quickly rises into the Sierra foothills, passing orange groves, then oak woodland and finally pine and fir forest. The road climbs in broad bends, with the temperature dropping steadily, until it reaches Grant Grove, home of the General Grant Tree, one of the largest living things on Earth. Beyond it, the road dips into the deep canyon of the Kings River, one of the deepest in North America. It is about fifty miles from Fresno to the park gate and beyond, so allow plenty of time.
Fill the tank in Fresno, as supplies are limited above the foothills, and take plenty of water, especially in summer, when the valley is a furnace. Start early to beat the heat, and the haze that often hangs over the valley. In spring, the orchards bloom pink and white, and the foothills are green. Autumn is clear and pleasant, and the high country is at its most beautiful. Be prepared for a big change in temperature as you climb, and bring a jacket.