News Release

Giant Forest and Wolverton Areas in Sequoia National Park Open 7 Days a Week, Beginning March 11

Josh Simas

News Release Date: March 10, 2022

Contact: Sintia Kawasaki-Yee, Public Affairs Officer, [phone]

SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, Calif. March 10, 2022 – The Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park will remain open to the public beginning Friday, March 11. This area has been opening on a limited schedule, Friday through Monday, as conditions have allowed, since December 11. This area was closed to public access starting in mid-September due to the KNP Complex Fire, which burned more than 88,000 acres, mostly within Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, in 2021. 
 
“Our staff has been working hard to restore 7-day access to the Giant Forest and we thank everyone
for their patience and flexibility with the limited access that we’ve been able to provide in the last couple months,” Clay Jordan, Superintendent of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks said, “This marks an important milestone on our road to fully restoring park operations.” 
 
This reopening extends from Hospital Rock to just above the intersection with Wolverton Road. In this next phase of reopening, the Giant Forest Museum will be open for visitor information and retail services 5-days a week, Friday through Tuesday, closed Wednesday and Thursday. There is currently no potable water or food available in Giant Forest. Visitors should plan to bring all the water and food that they will need during their visit.  
 
Moro Rock/Crescent Meadow roads remains closed to vehicles as is typical this time of year, but open for pedestrian access to Moro Rock and Crescent Meadow. Lodgepole and the portion of the Generals Highway between the parks remains closed but are slated to open on or shortly after Friday, March 18.  
 
Many trails in the Giant Forest, including the Congress Trail, were not affected by the fire. Some
trails that were affected are open with posted warnings, while the most severely affected trails remain closed. Wilderness permits are available by self-issue at this time of year. 
 
The Generals Highway is subject to closure at any time in the event of inclement weather, rock or debris fall, or other hazardous conditions. These risks are heightened by fire impacts along the roadway. For the most current road conditions, including information about tire chain controls, call the parks’ information line at (559) 565 -3341, press 1, and then press 1 again. Details of what will open or remain closed can be found online at go.nps.gov/SEKIconditions. 
 
The Grant Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park remains open and accessible to the public daily. However, it is always advisable to check weather and current road information before visiting the parks during winter months.
 

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About Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
These two parks, which lie side by side in the southern Sierra Nevada in Central California, preserve prime examples of nature’s size, beauty, and diversity. Nearly 2 million visitors from across the U.S. and the world visit these parks to see the world’s largest trees (by volume), grand mountains, rugged foothills, deep canyons, vast caverns, the highest point in the lower 48 states, and more. Learn more at http://www.nps.gov/seki.

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