Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park - Meadow Opening Dates (U.S. National Park Service)

2011 GRAZING ADVISORY (PDF, 37KB)

Each year, opening dates for grazing are established for the wilderness meadows of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Setting opening dates for the meadows allow the parks to protect biological and scenic resources from unacceptable impacts that may occur when the meadows are too wet.

As meadows are most susceptible to damage from stock when ground moisture levels are high, opening dates are established based on the amount of precipitation that the wilderness receives over the winter.

Recognizing that commercial outfitters, recreational users, and park operations need to be able to plan trips in advance, we issue these bulletins two times during the spring season as a service to keep all stock users informed.The bulletins update current conditions and anticipated opening dates. All bulletins are advisory only, the actual opening dates of specific meadows will be determined in the field. For final opening dates call the Wilderness Office prior to your trip at 559-565-3766.

Opening dates are anticipated based on snowpack in the wilderness.The snowpack is the best indicator we have of the amount of moisture the meadows received.The park has a series of snow courses that are measured periodically through the winter, with the late April snowpack measurements giving the latest and last estimate of conditions. We are providing this bulletin as tentative information based on late April/early May conditions.

According to the amount of moisture in the snowpack, we categorize the year as one of the following:

1) Dry (less than 50% of average snowpack)

2) Normal (51% to 150% of the average snowpack)

3) Wet (more than 150% of the average snowpack)

Opening dates in wet years are later than dry years.

CURRENT SITUATION

Although snowpack measurements following the May 1 snow survey indicated that the snowpack in the Kings and Kern drainages was below the 150% of average cutoff for predicting opening dates, unseasonably cool and wet weather over the past month has meant a significant delay in melting of the snowpack. We anticipate that meadows throughout the parks are likely to open according to wet year opening dates or later in some areas.

Consequently we advise visitors travelling with pack stock to plan according to the wet year dates, which are attached to this bulletin. Note that these dates remain tentative and are subject to revision based on evaluation of conditions in the field.

TENTATIVE OPENING DATES, 2011

The attached list shows the opening dates for "Wet" years for meadows in the meadows of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. The list is arranged by drainage and travel zone. These dates are only guidelines; changes in opening dates will likely be made as the season progresses depending on actual conditions.

If you are planning a trip on or near the opening date for a particular area it is your responsibility to contact the parks' Wilderness Office at 559-565-3766 for the latest update on conditions.For more information, also visit www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/wilderness.htm. Note that the opening dates only restrict grazing, pack trips prior to the opening dates are permitted as long as all feed is packed in and stock remain tied up at all times. For a complete list of meadows, please see the 2011 Stock Users Guide.

Your cooperation in managing stock use in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks is appreciated.Together we can continue to protect the natural diversity and beauty of the Sierra wilderness.

South Fork San Joaquin River - Kings Canyon National Park
Kings River Drainage - Kings Canyon National Park
Kern River Drainage - Sequoia National Park
Kaweah River Drainage - Sequoia National Park

South Fork San Joaquin River - Kings Canyon National Park
The table below shows opening dates for "wet" years, the name of the meadow area, and the travel zone. These dates are only guidelines; changes in opening dates may be made as the season progresses depending on actual conditions. Updates as of 8/19/2011.

Opening Date	Travel Zone	Meadow Area
8/1/2011	28	South Fork San Joaquin River/Goddard Canyon
8/15/2011	33-1	Evolution Meadow
9/10/2011 8/31/2011	33-2 33-3 33-4.2	McClure Meadow Colby Meadow CLOSED 2011. Darwin Meadow Pockets
8/31/2011	33.8	McGee Canyon Meadow
8/15/2011	34	Evolution Basin

Kings River Drainage - Kings Canyon National Park
The table below shows opening dates for "wet" years, the name of the meadow area, and the travel zone. These dates are only guidelines; changes in opening dates may be made as the season progresses depending on actual conditions. Updated 9/11/2011.

Opening Date	Travel Zone	Meadow Area
8/1/2011	38	Blue Canyon
8/30/2011 8/8/2011 8/30/2011 8/8/2011 8/8/2011	39-1 39-2 39-3 39-4 39-5 39-7 39-8	Upper Le Conte Meadow CLOSED 2011 Big Pete Meadow-HAND GRAZING IN DRY AREAS ONLY Little Pete Meadow Ladder Camp Grouse Meadow Stillwater Deer
8/8/2011	42	Dusy Creek
8/8/2011 8/30/2011	45 45-1	Upper Palisade Lakes Palasades Lake Meadow
8/15/2011	46	Upper South Fork Kings River (above and below JMT junction)
8/15/2011	47	Cartridge Creek, South Fork Kings River

8/1/2011	51	Gnat and Hay Meadow
8/1/2011	51-1	Simpson Meadow
8/1/2011	52	Kennedy Canyon
8/15/2011	53	Horseshoe & State Lakes; and North Side Granite Pass
8/31/2011	53-7	Shorty's Meadow
8/1/2011	54-2	Granite Basin
8/10/2011	56	Twin Lakes Area
8/20/2011	57	Woods Lake Basin
8/5/2011	58	Castle Domes Meadow
8/5/2011	58	Woods Creek Crossing
8/10/2011	58	Baxter Creek Drift Fence Meadow
	61	Sixty Lakes Basin CLOSED 2011
8/20/2011	63-1	Charlotte Creek
	65	Vidette Meadow CLOSED 2011
8/15/2011 7/20/2011	65-4 66	Upper Bubbs Creek Lower Bubbs Creek and Junction Meadow (Bubbs)
7/20/2011	67	East Lake
7/20/2011	68	Sphinx Creek
7/20/2011	69	West Side Roaring River, JR Pasture, Lackey Pasture, Scaffold Meadow Tourist Pasture
7/20/2011 8/1/2011 9/1/2011 7/20/2011	70 70-4 70-5 70-6	Cloud Canyon Cement Table Meadow Big Wet Meadow Grand Palace Meadow
9/1/2011	71	Deadman Canyon
8/1/2011	71-1	Austin Camp
8/25/2011 9/1/2011 9/1/2011	71-2 71-3 71-4	Grave Meadow Ranger Meadow Upper Ranger Meadow
8/10/2011 8/15/2011 8/5/2011 8/20/2011	73-4 75-1 77-5 77-7	Lost Lake Lone Pine Meadow Redwood Meadow Pinto Lake

Kern River Drainage - Sequoia National Park
The table below shows opening dates for "normal" years, the name of the meadow area, and the travel zone. These dates are only guidelines. Changes in opening dates may be made as the season progresses depending on actual conditions. Updated 8/19/2011.

Opening Date	Travel Zone	Meadow Area

8/15/2011 8/15/2011	80-1 80-2	Bighorn Plateau Lake Tyndall Creek/JMT Frog Ponds
8/1/2011 8/15/2011 9/1/2011 8/15/2011	80-3 80-4 80-5.1,5.2 80-6	Tyndall Creek Meadow Sheep Camp Lake South America (stock should be kept away from shoreline) and Lake South America Col Meadow Kern Headwaters
8/1/2011	81-1	Wright Creek Drainage
8/10/2011	81-2.3	Wallace Creek Waterfall
7/25/2011 7/25/2011	81-2.1 81-2.4	Wallace Creek/JMT Junction Meadow Marshy Meadow
8/1/2011	81-2.2	Wallace Creek Meadows
7/25/2011	82-1	Junction Meadow (Kern)
	83-4	Upper Crabtree Meadow CLOSED 2011
8/1/2011	83-7	Lower Whitney Creek/Strawberry Meadow CLOSED 2011 Official Closure
8/22/2011	83-8	Sandy Meadow
8/22/2011	83-5	Lower Crabtree Meadow
8/1/2011 9/1/2011 8/1/2011	84-4 84-5 84-6	Forgotten Canyon Meadows Guyot Creek Meadows Siberian Outpost
8/20/2011	84-1	Rock Creek Ranger Station
8/20/2011	84-2	Lower Rock Creek
	85-8	Rock Creek Lake CLOSED 2011
8/15/2011 9/1/2011	85-2,3 85-4, 6,7,10	Miter Basin & Lower Miter Basin, Penned Up, Lower Soldier Lake, Nathan's Meadow,Upper Soldier Lake & New Army Pass Junction
7/1/2011 7/1/2011	86-(1-7) 86-2	Kern's Bridge Camp, Upper Funston, Big Arroyo Confluence, Rattlesnake Creek confluence (21" Camp), Lower Funston, Snake Camp, Kern Station Large Pasture UPPER FUNSTON CLOSED 2011 Official Closure
8/20/2011	87-1 & 2	Upper Big Arroyo & Little Upper Big Arroyo
8/10/2011 9/1/2011	87-3 87-4	Big Arroyo Patrol Cabin Lower Big Arroyo
8/20/2011	87-5,7,8,10	Chagoopa Plateau #1,#3, #4, & Sky Parlor
8/20/2011 8/10/2011	87- 6 87-9	Chagoopa Plateau #2 Chagoopa PlateauTreehouse
8/20/2011	88-1	Lower Little Five Lakes (Long Lake Meadows)
8/22/2011 9/1/2011 8/22/2011	88-4 89-2.1, 2.2,3.2 89-3.1	Big Five Lakes Upper Meadow Upper Lost Canyon Long, Upper Lost Canyon Little Long, Lower Lost Canyon Lost Canyon Big Sidehill
8/15/2011	89-4, 5.1, 9,10 89-5.2	Soda Creek Canyon, Forester Lake Bench, Middle Rattlesnake Canyon, Cow Camp Forester Lake CLOSED 2011

Kaweah River Drainage - Sequoia National Park
The table below shows opening dates for "Wet" years, the name of the meadow area, and the travel zone.These dates are only guidelines. Changes in opening dates may be made as the season progresses depending on actual conditions. Updated 8/15/2011.

Opening Date	Travel Zone	Meadow Area
8/8/2011	90-2,3,4	Ansel Lake, Evelyn Lake, Cow Camp
8/5/2011	90-5.1	Hockett Meadow
8/8/2011	90-6, 8	Sand Meadow, Tuohy Creek Junction
8/8/2011	90-9	Lower South Fork
8/8/2011	90-10,11	South Fork, South Fork Pasture
8/8/2011	90-12	Blossom Lake
8/8/2011	90-13	Slim's Meadow
8/8/2011	90-14	Green and Cabin Meadow
8/8/2011	90-15	Tuohy Meadows
8/8/2011	90-16	Summit Meadow
8/8/2011	90-17	Cyclone Meadow
8/8/2011	90-18	Summit Lake Meadow
8/8/2011	90-19	Quinn Meadow
8/1/2011	92-1,2,3	Monarch Lake; Crystal Lakes/Cobalt Lake; Franklin Lakes
8/1/2011	93-1,2,3	White Chief, Eagle Lake, Mosquito Lake
8/1/2011	94-1	Mineral Creek

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