Current Conditions

~Page last updated June 4, 2021~

Camping

Most park campgrounds are open. All campsites require advance reservations made at Recreation.gov. Campgrounds are almost always full on weekends and most weekdays. No campsites will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations can be made up to one month in advance. For more information, please visit our 2021 Campground Opening page. Public showers and laundry services are not available this camping season.

Traffic Congestion

On weekends, there are usually lines of cars at park entrance stations. To reduce your wait times, pay your entrance fee in advance and arrive early in the day.

Visitor Centers and SPC Park Stores

Four visitor centers are providing outdoor information services, weather dependent. Exhibit halls and theaters are currently closed. Shop for books, trail maps, and other educational items at SPC Park Stores at Foothills Visitor Center, Giant Forest Museum, and Kings Canyon Visitor Center.

Crystal Cave

Crystal Cave is open for the season. Book a tour today through Recreation.gov. Tours are available Thursday through Sunday, with tours on the hour from 10 am until 4 pm. Crystal Cave has been booked for most of June and July, so schedule your adventure early! For tour basics, ticket prices, and information on how to prepare for your tour, please visit our partner Sequoia Park Conservancy's Crystal Cave webpage.

Lodging and Food Services

In Sequoia National Park, Lodgepole Market, Wuksachi Lodge, and Wuksachi Gift Shop are open. Limited to-go food services are available. In Kings Canyon National Park, John Muir Lodge, Grant Grove Cabins, Grant Grove Market, and Grant Grove Gift Shop are open. Services at Cedar Grove are not yet open. For more information about lodging and other commercial operations, please visit Delaware North's website or contact their reservations number at [phone].

Hiking and Backpacking

Wilderness permit desks are open throughout the parks and the quota season has begun. Reservations are available on Recreation.gov. For more information, check our Wilderness Permits web page. Permits are not required for day hiking. Recent trail conditions reports are available for a limited number of trails.

Dangerous Stream Crossings

Some trails have stream crossings that may become dangerous, either after a storm or on hot days when snow melts quickly at higher elevations. If you hike on trails after a storm, particularly in the Sequoia's Foothills area, be ready to turn back if you don't feel comfortable crossing or if rockfall, tree hazards, or other factors make the trail unsafe.

Air Quality

The parks often experience poor air quality often affects Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, especially during summer. Please visit our Air Quality webpage for the current forecast and additional information.

 

Cedar Grove Area Conditions

Kings Canyon Scenic Byway (Highway 180) is now open into Cedar Grove, but please expect limited services in the area. Restrooms are open, but Cedar Grove Visitor Center, area markets, and food service are not yet available. Please plan to bring your own food, ice, and other supplies for camping or day hiking.

For short hikes, consider the Roaring River Falls Trail (paved), and the Zumwalt Meadow Trail, which offers elevated views of the meadow from the talus slope above. For wilderness overnight trips, self-registration permits are available at the Road's End Permit Station beginning May 26.

Boyden Cave, in Sequoia National Forest between Grant Grove and Cedar Grove, is now open for tours.

Grant Grove Area Conditions

In the Grant Grove area, all of the winter snow has melted. Panoramic Point Road is now open. The road to Redwood Canyon Trailhead is clear, but you may need to drive slowly on this unpaved and rough road. Roads in the nearby Sequoia National Forest are beginning to open, including Big Meadows and the road to the Boole Tree.

Giant Forest / Lodgepole Area Conditions

Warm weather has melted all of the snow in the Giant Forest and Lodgepole areas. The main Sherman Tree Trailhead and Parking Area is open.

Dogwoods are blooming on the Generals Highway between the Crystal Cave Junction and Giant Forest Museum. If you stop to enjoy the showy flowers, be sure to use paved pullouts along the highway to park your vehicle.

Moro Rock / Crescent Meadow Road is open to vehicles. A number of features can be found along this road, such as the Moro Rock, Auto Log, Buttress Tree, and Tunnel Log. Parking here is extremely limited.

 

Foothills Area Conditions

Summer is in full swing and temperatures are climbing in the foothills. If you'd like to avoid the heat, try visiting early in the day.

Wildflowers have faded at the lowest elevations but are still blooming if you head a little higher up. Along the highway, look for mariposa lilies, California buckeye blooms, and the towering stalks of white Chaparral yucca flowers. As you hike, consider that warm temperatures mean that rattlesnakes may begin to emerge, and ticks may be present.

While hot days may tempt you to head to park rivers, please keep in mind that melting snow at higher elevations makes rivers run swift and cold. Drowning is the leading cause of death in these parks. Many people don't plan to swim but fall in after slipping. Please stay safe around park rivers by enjoying them from a distance at this time of year.

Mineral King Area Conditions

Memorial Day Weekend marked the annual opening of the Mineral King area. Yellow blooms of flannel brush line Mineral King Road as you climb in elevation. The drive offers amazing views, but the road is one lane in places, rutted, partially unpaved, and very curvy. RVs and trailers are not recommended and are not permitted in the Mineral King campgrounds. As you approach the end of the road, stop at one of the many trails to enjoy a hike. The trailheads are free of snow, as are some middle-elevation destinations like Eagle, Mosquito, and Monarch lakes, and White Chief Meadow. Beware of mamots at the parking lots! Consider wrapping the undercarraige of your vehicle to protect it's wiring from gnawing critters. For more trail information, stop by the Mineral King Ranger Station. All area camping by reservation only.

Wildfire-Related Closure in Sequoia National Park

The Dillonwood area wilderness area closure in Sequoia remains in effect, due to impacts from the SQF Complex fires.

 

COVID-19 Safety

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks urge you to follow National Park Service and CDC guidance to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

1. Wearing a mask is required in federal buildings. Masks are required outdoors on federal land when social distancing cannot be maintained.
2. If you feel sick, please visit another day.
3. Practice social distancing. Keep both yourself and park employees safe, by respecting the 6-foot distance rule when you are interacting with them.
4. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
5. Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
6. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer.

Your safety is our number one priority. The health and safety of staff and visitors alike is critical to us. Please follow COVID-19 safety procedures. In accordance with guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities in relation to the pandemic, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are working to increase access to facilities.

Information on Neighboring Public Lands

Traveling to Yosemite National Park? Reservations will be required to enter the park for day use beginning February 8.

For information on the status of the Sequoia National Forest or Giant Sequoia National Monument (managed by the US Forest Service), visit the Sequoia National Forest website. Sequoia National Forest issued an order prohibiting camping (both developed campsites and dispersed camping) on the Hume Lake Ranger District through at least January 31, 2021.

For information on Lake Kaweah (managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), visit their website.