Foothills Facilities & Services

INFORMATION (NPS)

Foothills Visitor Center: One mile north of Sequoia park entrance at Highway 198. Exhibits on the foothills environment. Local wilderness permits, bear canisters, books, maps, first aid. Open daily. Summer hours: 8am - 5pm; Crystal Cave tickets sold until 4 pm. Winter hours: 8am - 4:30pm. (559)565-3135.

CAMPGROUNDS (NPS)

No reservations; 6 people per site (check bulletin boards for exceptions:

Buckeye Flat: Elevation 2800'. One mile via a side road from Hospital Rock (6 miles from Highway 198/park entrance). Restrooms, drinking water, 28 sites. No trailers or RVs. $18/day. Closed mid-September through spring.

Potwisha: Elevation 2100'. On Generals Highway, 4 miles north of Highway 198/park entrance. Restrooms, drinking water, RV disposal stations, 42 sites. Open all year. $18/day.

South Fork: On South Fork Road, 12 miles east of Highway 198. Pit toilets, no drinking water, 13 sites. Not recommended for trailers/RVs. Open all year. $12/day in summer; no fee in winter.

PICNIC AREAS (NPS)

Tables, restrooms, drinking water:

Ash Mountain: Across from visitor center. No fire pits.

Hospital Rock: On Generals Highway, 6 miles north of Highway198/park entrance. Fire pits with grills.

LODGING (NPS)

In the foothills, lodging is available only outside the park. In-park lodging is at higher elevations. Additional information on lodging clost to the park entrances is available from the Three Rivers-Lemon Cove Business Association.

CRYSTAL CAVE

Crystal Cave is a marble cavern within one of the ridges between the foothills and the Giant Forest. It can be toured in spring through fall. It is operated by the Sequoia Natural History Association (SNHA).

Tickets are not sold at the cave; buy them at the Lodgepole or Foothills visitor centers. Tickets must be purchased 1-1/2 hours in advance. Tickets are discounted for SNHA members, Golden Age Passport holders, and children ages 6-12; children under 6 are free.

Spring & Fall: Tours Fridays through Mondays 11am - 4pm on the hour.

Summer: Tours daily on the half-hour 11am-4pm.

Discovery Tours: In summer Sunday through Friday at 4:15pm. Group size limited to 12 people aged 13 and up.