Spring in the Foothills, Winter in the Sequoia Groves
While trees and shrubs are budding and flowers are beginning to bloom in the foothills, multiple feet of snow remain in the sequoia groves. It's a lovely time to hike in the foothills, but be on the lookout for poison oak and ticks. Long pants and sunscreen are recommended.
Planning to visit the giant sequoias? Expect cooler temperatures in the mountains. During storms, fresh snow can fall in Grant Grove and Giant Forest.
If you're planning to visit the sequoias, bring warm clothing for cool temperatures -- long pants, a jacket or two, a hat, and gloves -- and traction devices for traveling on the trails, such as snowshoes, microspikes for your footwear, or cross-country skis. Check weather forecasts for the area of the park you are planning to visit. Temperatures in sequoia groves can often be below freezing, especially in the mornings and evenings and on cloudy days. When rain is forecast for the foothills, there may be fresh snow or very cold rain falling in the sequoia groves. Due to hazardous driving conditions, consider delaying your visit until after storms have ended.
Be Prepared for Tire Chain Restrictions During and Immediately After a Storm
Tire chain restrictions can be in effect on some park roads during and after storms due to either snow or ice on roads. Be prepared for winter driving: bring chains, cables, or other snow traction attachment for your vehicle. When chain restrictions are in effect, all vehicles are required to carry chains or other snow traction attachment.
Expect some construction delays on Generals Highway
Expect occasional delays at some locations on Generals Highway as crews continue to work repairing roads damaged during the winter of 2022-2023.
Check Weather Forecasts Prior to Your Visit
Because of the extreme elevation range in the parks, weather conditions vary widely between areas. In summer, the sequoia groves have comfortable temperatures and the foothills are hot and dry. Snow lingers on high-mountain passes well into summer. In fall, conditions can range from summer-like to winter-like. Winter brings snow to sequoia groves and rain to the foothills. Be prepared for tire chain requirements. Spring is a great time to hike in the foothills and snow begins to melt at higher elevations.
The National Park Service does not tow or repair vehicles. During active storms, tow trucks do not generally enter the park and towing bills can be very expensive. Vehicles that are incapacitated or stuck in snow may not get out for a day or more.
When any tire chain restrictions are in effect, every vehicle is required to carry chains. Visitors are responsible for proper chain installation. Be prepared for winter driving.
Fuel up or charge your vehicle before entering the parks. There are no gasoline or diesel fueling stations in the parks. There are also no electric vehicle charging stations inside the parks.
Moro Rock/Crescent Meadow Road (Giant Forest, Sequoia National Park) is closed to public vehicle traffic due to snow accumulation on the road.
Highway 180 to Cedar Grove (Kings Canyon National Park) is closed for the season at the Hume Lake Road gate.
Mineral King Road (Sequoia National Park) is closed for the season near the national park boundary.
Middle Fork Road (Foothills, Sequoia National Park) is closed to vehicles due to damage from winter storms in early 2023.
Panoramic Point Road (Grant Grove, Kings Canyon National Park) is closed now that snow has accumulate on the road.
Crystal Cave Road (Giant Forest, Sequoia National Park) is closed for the season.
Redwood Mountain Road (Kings Canyon National Park) remains closed due to hazardous conditions from the 2021 KNP Complex Fire and damage from winter storms in early 2023.
Construction
Check the Road Construction page for a summary of road construction in 2024. Expect occasional delays on Generals Highway as construction crews continue to work to fully repair roads fom damage in 2022-2023 winter storms. Please be patient and slow down for road work.
Roads
The Sherman Tree is accessible from the Sherman Tree Winter Parking Area. The Main Sherman Tree Trailhead and Parking Area is closed due to snow accumulation. The Winter Parking Area has limited parking.
Parking
Expect parking at the Giant Forest Museum and General Sherman Tree to fill early on weekends and holidays.
Free Giant Forest Shuttle During Summer 2024
The free shuttle operates within the Giant Forest. Dates in 2024 are still being determined, but service usually begins Memorial Day weekend.
Visit the shuttle webpage for more information about shuttle routes and stops.
Trails
Trails within the Giant Forest and Lodgepole areas are open but are snow covered. Only some trails have any winter markings; be prepared with traction devices for your footwear.
Pick up a winter trail map (proceeds from trail maps go directly to the Sequoia Park Conservancy) at any visitor center.
Camping
All campgrounds are closed for the winter season.
Lodgepole Campground: reservations must be made in advance through Recreation.gov. Sites will be open for reservations starting January 24, 2024. Lodgepole Campground is the most popular campground in the parks and site availability may be extremely limited, especially on weekends and holidays.
Dorst Creek Campground is closed for the season.
Lodging and Meals
Wuksachi Lodge and Restaurant offers overnight lodging and food service. See www.visitsequoia.com for more information.
Free Ranger Programs
Ranger-led programs are available. Visit the Giant Forest Museum or Lodgepole Visitor Center for more information. For the schedule of ranger talks and programs, see our events calendar. *Ranger programs are posted online about one week in advance.
Weather
Temperatures in the sequoia groves and the mountains are much cooler than in the valleys. Be prepared for below freezing temperatures. Bring extra warm layers of clothing, particularly for mornings and evenings.
Trails
Trails within the Grant Grove area are open but are snow covered. Only some trails have any route markings for winter travel; be prepared with traction devices for your footwear. Check at the Kings Canyon Visitor Center for the most up-to-date trail conditions.
Trails in the Redwood Canyon area are closed following damage from the 2021 KNP Complex Fire and will not reopen until conditions are safe.
Roads
Highway 180 is open up to the Hume Junction Gate. The Kings Canyon Scenic Byway to Cedar Grove is closed for the season. Re-opening is tentatively expected in June 2024, subject to change.
Hume Lake Road: Open from the Hwy 180 Junction to around Ten Mile Campground. Please call the Hume Lake Ranger District for the most current road conditions: (559) 338-2251.
Panoramic Point road is closed due to snow accumulation. It is not plowed during winter. When snow or ice accumulate the road is closed to vehicles. When closed, recreation by foot is allowed, although traction devices such as microspikes, snowshoes, or skis are recommended. The road re-opens when conditions allow. In early winter the road may close and then re-open to vehicles when snow and ice melts.
Camping
Azalea Campground is the only open campground and has 20 first-come, first-served sites available through the winter. Campsites are not cleared of snow. Be prepared for winter camping. Payment is made through recreation.gov. Download the Recreation.gov app prior to arriving. Once the app is installed, payment can be made even when a device is offline.
During the spring. summer, and fall, most campgrounds fill well in advance of weekends and holidays. Reservation windows vary between campgrounds, see each individual campground page or Recreation.gov for more information.
Free Ranger Programs
Ranger-led programs are available. Visit the Kings Canyon Visitor Center for more information. For the schedule of ranger talks and programs, see our events calendar. *Ranger programs are posted online about one week in advance.
Highway 180, the only road into the Cedar Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park, is closed and will not open until summer 2024.
Due to severe road damage along the Highway 180 corridor between Grant Grove and Cedar Grove, Caltrans does not expect repairs to be completed until the summer of 2024.
Stay safe in the foothills
View the rivers from a distance. The water is very cold and swift. The soil near and along the rivers can be unstable. It can collapse unexpectedly under the weight of people, including children, and result in falls into the river.
Hospital Rock Pictographs
By working with local Native Americans, we’ve learned the pictographs at Hospital Rock are sacred to their communities. They are as important as any place of worship. Do not touch or mark on the pictographs or rocks here. If you see someone vandalizing this area, please let a park ranger know right away.
Trails
Check our Foothills Trails page for ideas to help you plan your trip. Also check the map of closures at the bottom of this page.
South Fork Road closure and damaged trails in the South Fork drainage.
The portion of South Fork Road within the park boundary that provides access to the trailheads for Ladybug Trail and Garfield Grove Trail suffered severe damage from flooding and landslides during 2022-2023 winter storms. The road is impassable to vehicles. Anyone wanting to travel on these trails should be self-reliant, as road damage makes any rescue effort challenging and subject to delays.
Camping
Potwisha Campground is open. Reservations are required. Visit Recreation.gov to reserve your campsite.
Campground Closures
Buckeye Flat Campground is closed until further notice due to damage from repeated winter storms in early 2023.
South Fork Campground is currently inaccessible and closed due to damage from flooding and landslides from winter storms. Damage to the campground and the access road are being assessed. At this time, it is unknown when the campground will re-open.
Free Ranger Programs
Ranger-led walks and talks are available. Visit the Foothills Visitor Center for more information. For the schedule of ranger talks and programs, see our events calendar. *Ranger programs are posted online about one week in advance.
Fire Restrictions in Summer
By mid-summer in most years fire restrictions are issued for the Foothills. See our fire restrictions page for details. If restrictions are in effect and you're planning to leave the foothills and head into the mountains to see sequoias, food and meals are available at the Wuksachi Lodge.
Current Fire Restrictions: None
See the Fire Restrictions page for details about the restrictions that can be in place during the summer and fall.
Map of Current Closures at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
Click on a line or point for the name of the closed location.
Road and trail closures are shown in red. Individual point closures are shown with black pins. Area closures are shown in yellow.
Closures can change at any time and may differ from what is shown on this map.