News Release

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Provide Updates to Estimated Reopening Dates

Date: April 27, 2023
Contact: Sintia Kawasaki-Yee, Chief of Communications, [phone]

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Tulare County, Caltrans, and others continue to make progress with damage assessments and repairs at a time when the public is eager to get out into their public lands and plan their summer vacations. Thanks to information provided by partner agencies we can share a couple significant updates as part of our weekly review of estimated reopening dates.  

At this time, due to severe road damage along the Highway 180 corridor between Grant Grove and Cedar Grove, Caltrans does not expect repairs to be completed before the end of the summer season. This means public access is not expected into the Cedar Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park for the 2023 summer season.   

For Mineral King in Sequoia National Park, due to severe road damage along the Mineral King Road both inside and outside the park, public access is not anticipated before mid-June. Tulare County is working on temporary repairs to three sections of road damage outside the park boundary, these repairs are expected to continue into June. As soon as we’re able, the park will assess whether construction equipment will have the necessary access to begin repairs to severely damaged sections inside the park boundary. It is still unknown what, if any, public access will be possible this summer.

Current status and projected reopening timeframes for 2023:  

Sequoia National Park  

The Foothills area between the Sequoia entrance station and Hospital Rock – CURRENTLY OPEN  

Access to lower elevation camping, trails, wildflowers, wilderness, rivers, and more. No access to giant sequoias. 

The Giant Forest/Wolverton Snowplay Area/Lodgepole/Wuksachi Areas 
Access to giant sequoias, the General Sherman Tree, winter snowplay, camping, lodging, wilderness, Moro Rock, Tunnel Log, and more. 
Access via Highway 180 through the Kings Canyon entrance station  

• Estimated Reopening: May 26- June 16  

Access via Highway 198 through the Sequoia entrance station  

• Estimated Reopening: Sometime in June - July 2023  

Crystal Cave
Initial surveys report significant road damage along Crystal Cave Road. More information is needed to inform a reopening estimate.  

Mineral King 
Due to severe road damage along the Mineral King Road both inside and outside the park boundary, public access is not anticipated before mid-June. It is still unknown what, if any, public access will be possible this summer.   

Kings Canyon National Park  

Grant Grove – CURRENTLY OPEN  
Access to giant sequoias, the General Grant Tree, winter snowplay, camping, lodging, restaurant, trails, and more. 

Cedar Grove 
Due to severe road damage along the Highway 180 corridor between Grant Grove and Cedar Grove, Caltrans does not expect repairs to be completed before the end of the summer season. This means public access is not expected into the Cedar Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park for the 2023 summer season.  

Updates to the reopening schedule are made on the Current Conditions web page weekly on Thursday afternoons.