News Release

Preparing for Fourth of July Weekend at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

Visitors can set themselves up for a wonderful holiday weekend experience by planning their trip out ahead of time, arriving early in the day, and being careful to stay safe in the parks!

Photo by Chris Keiser

News Release Date: June 30, 2021

Contact: Rebecca Paterson, 559 565 4257

SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, Calif. June 30, 2021– Summer is in full swing at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Fourth of July weekend is expected to be extremely busy, and visitors are strongly encouraged to plan ahead to ensure an enjoyable and safe holiday weekend.

Campgrounds
Advance reservations are required to camp in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Campground reservations can be made up to one month in advance using www.recreation.gov, or by calling [phone]. Do not arrive planning to camp if you do not have a reservation. At this time, campsites for the holiday weekend are fully booked throughout both parks. All park campgrounds are open except for Atwell Mill, Dorst Creek, and Canyon View Campgrounds, which will remain closed for the entirety of the season.

There are currently no public showers available in the parks. Portable showers are permitted, but campers must collect the water and dispose of it in one of the outdoor sinks.All vehicles (2 allowed per site) must fit onto the parking pad. Overflow parking for cars that cannot fit onto parking pads is limited. All food, scented items, and coolers, including bear-proof ice chests, must fit into the metal storage box at your campsite (most are 47" long x 33" deep x 28"high). Quiet hours for campgrounds are 10 p.m. through 6 a.m.

Fire Restrictions and Fireworks
Stage 3 fire restrictions are in effect in the parks starting July 1, which means that wood and charcoal fires and barbeques are prohibited at all elevations. This includes all front-country campgrounds and wilderness locations. Stage 3 fire restrictions are enacted at times of severe fire danger. NPS firefighters thank you for your cooperation.

Fireworks are strictly prohibited in the parks. This prohibition is in place year-round, but is especially critical now, as the parks are in a state of extreme drought, and the risk of wildfire is extremely high.  

Driving
Expect congestion and lines at park entrances. Avoid long waiting periods by arriving prior to 9 a.m. or after 3 p.m., and have your method of payment ready when you arrive at the gate. You can purchase your park pass online ahead of time at www.recreation.gov/pass. Bring snacks, water, and a full tank of gas. The Big Stump Entrance Station in Kings Canyon National Park typically has a shorter wait time than the Ash Mountain Entrance Station in Sequoia National Park.

RVs and trailers longer than 22 feet are advised to enter through the Big Stump Entrance Station in Kings Canyon National Park. Vehicles longer than 22 feet are not advised on the Generals Highway between Hospital Rock and Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park, due to the many sharp curves in this section.

Shuttles
The Sequoia Shuttle is operating in Giant Forest. There is currently no shuttle service in operation to transport visitors from outside of the parks. All parking areas are expected to be crowded throughout the weekend. When parking lots near the General Sherman Tree are full, visitors are advised to use the shuttle.

The Moro Rock/Crescent Meadow Road will be closed to personal vehicles from Friday, July 2, to Monday July 5. To access these areas, visitors can catch the shuttle at the Giant Forest Museum.

River and Lake Safety
On the evening of June 21, a 20-year-old man from Tulare County died from drowning in the Kaweah River near the Potwisha Overflow parking lot in Sequoia National Park. He was pulled from the river by bystanders, and responding rangers performed CPR, but their attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful. This incident was the forty-fourth emergency response operation of the year thus far.

Due to the ongoing drought, rivers and lakes are unseasonably low, but this tragic incident underscores that visitors must still exercise extreme caution when recreating in these areas. Rocks along the edge can be extremely slippery, and banks above flows can collapse. Most people who have ended up in water-related emergencies were not attempting to swim. Drowning is the number one cause of fatalities in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Please maintain space from the edge and be especially mindful of children in your group.

Wilderness
Wilderness permits can be reserved through www.recreation.gov up to six months in advance of your entry date. A limited number of first-come, first-served permits are available daily at permit issuing stations in Cedar Grove, Grant Grove, Lodgepole, Ash Mountain, and Mineral King. Reservations are the only way to be assured of a wilderness permit. Walk-up permits are in extremely high demand, especially for popular trails and weekend or holiday start dates. If you don’t have a reservation, have alternate plans in case your first or second choice of entry points is unavailable.

A limited number of food storage containers (“bear cans”) is available for rent at the Kings Canyon Visitor Center in Grant Grove, Giant Forest Museum in the Lodgepole area, and the Foothills Visitor Center in Ash Mountain. There are no container rentals available in Cedar Grove. Due to high demand nationally, it is recommended that you purchase or rent an allowed container well in advance of your trip.

Trip Planning Tools
Try out the free, official app for the National Park Service! Specific park information, including trail maps, can be downloaded in advance so that it will be available when you are offline. Learn more at go.nps.gov/skcapp.

For more information and the latest updates, please visit our website, www.nps.gov/seki. When you are in the parks, refer to the map and newspaper that you receive at the entrance station for a wealth of trip planning information.

Have a safe, fun, and memorable holiday weekend at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks!