Columbine Picnic Area and Snowplay Area

Columbine Picnic Area and Snowplay Area

NPS / Scott Andrew Taylor

Quick Facts

Location:

Located along the road to the General Grant Tree Trail.

Amenities

16 listed

Animal-Safe Food Storage, Audio Description, Benches/Seating, Fire Pit, Grill, Information, Information Kiosk/Bulletin Board, Parking - Auto, Picnic Table, Recycling, Restroom, Restroom - Accessible, Trash/Litter Receptacles, Water - Bottle-Filling Station, Water - Drinking/Potable, Wheelchair Accessible

This picnic spot near the Grant Grove campgrounds and Visitor Center offer a good slope for sledding in the winter.

Winter Snowplay

As soon as snow falls, this area is a great place for snowplay. Parking is limited in winter. Please stay in the picnic area and not the nearby campground.

Sled Safely

Every winter, people get hurt badly while sledding in the park. Sledding accidents send over 20,000 people to emergency rooms each year in this country. The most common reason people get hurt is they sled when conditions are bad (icy snow, rock or tree hazards exposed, poor visibility), so if the snow isn't great or you can't see, don't sled!

Don’t let an accident ruin your winter fun.

• When sledding, slide feet first.
• Consider wearing a helmet.
• Make sure your path is clear. Don’t slide near rocks, trees, branches, or other people.
• After sliding, look uphill. Move out of the way of people coming downhill after you.
• Don’t slide into roads or parking lots.
• Avoid hard-packed snow or ice, where speed and direction get out of control.
• Sliding devices that can be steered may be safer than others.

In an emergency, contact a ranger or call 911. There is a public telephone at Wolverton Snowplay Area. The closest telephone to Columbine and Big Stump snowplay areas is at Kings Canyon Visitor Center in Grant Grove Village.

Services Nearby

Parking, restrooms, and picnic tables available year-round. This becomes a snow-play area in winter.

Acessibility

Although there is no designated accessible parking here, routes from the parking area to the restrooms and picnic area are firm and stable with gentle slopes. The restrooms are mostly, though not fully, accessible. The picnic area includes extended picnic tables and accessible grills.