• Giant Sequoia Trees

    Sequoia & Kings Canyon

    National Parks California

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  • Changes to Some Opening/Closing Dates for Services and Facilities – Check Back for Updates

    Some of the opening/closing dates for facilities and visitor services in the parks have changed due to weather and/or other circumstances. See link for details and match to locations on the park map (under "Park Tools," bottom left, this page). More »

  • Road Conditions (Entire Park) and Road Construction Delays (if Entering/Exiting Hwy. 198)

    Expect 20-minute to 1-hour construction delays on main road through parks (Generals Hwy) until Memorial Day weekend (7 a.m.-6 p.m.). See link for schedule. Call for 24-hour road conditions info: 559-565-3341 (press 1, 1, 1). More »

  • Vehicle Length Limits Have Changed in Sequoia NP (if Entering/Exiting Hwy 198)

    Planning to see the "Big Trees" in Sequoia National Park? If you enter/exit via Hwy. 198, please pay close attention to new vehicle length advisories for your safety and the safety of others. More »

  • You May Have Trouble Calling Us. Use the "Contact Us" Link (Bottom Left) to Send an E-mail.

    We are experiencing technical problems receiving some incoming phone calls at the parks. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please keep trying to reach us or check this website for frequently-asked questions. The search box (top, right) may be helpful.

What's In the Foothills Area, Winter

Information
Foothills Visitor Center: Open year-round. One mile north of Ash Mountain park entrance at Highway 198. Exhibits on the foothills environment. Local wilderness permits, bear canisters, books, maps, and first aid. Hours of operation vary with season. For information call 1-559-565-3135.

Other visitor centers...

Campgrounds
You are in black bear country. Food storage is required. Tables, food-storage boxes, restrooms, drinking water, 6 people and 1 vehicle per site. No reservations. See the link for information on other campgrounds in the parks.

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

South Fork: Open year-round. On South Fork Road, 12 miles east of Highway 198. Pit toilets, no drinking water, 13 sites. Not recommended for trailers/RVs. No fee in winter.

Buckeye Flat: Elevation 2800'. Closed mid-September through mid-spring. 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.

Other campgrounds...

Picnic Areas
In the foothills the picnic areas are open year-round. 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.

Other picnic areas...

Lodging
In the foothills, lodging is available only outside the park. In-park lodging is at higher elevations. Additional information on lodging see the link. Lodging information...

Crystal Cave
Closed in winter but opens mid-May (weather permitting) through mid-fall. Crystal Cave is a marble cavern within one of the ridges between the foothills and the Giant Forest. 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. more...

 
Pictographs at Hospital Rock
Pictographs and mortars are visible signs at Hospital Rock that Native Americans lived in this area for hundreds if not thousands of years.
NPS Photo

Did You Know?

Speleothem, a cave formation.

Crystal Cave, a marble cavern, is a complex maze more than 3 miles long. Parts of it are open via tours. Many varieties of beautiful speleothems decorate the cave, including rarely formed "shields" and "raft cones." A number of unique species of animals live in the cave and its stream. More...