Changes in opening dates or temporary meadow closures are made based on conditions in the field. Meadow opening dates may be delayed, open earlier than anticipated, or close temporarily for the season as conditions warrant (lack of forage, stock use impacts, etc.).
Opening Date Changes
Area
Previous Opening Date
Current Opening Date
Big Pete Meadow (39-2)
7/1
7/7
Castle Domes Meadow (58-1)
7/1
6/21
Hockett Meadow (90-5.1)
6/10
6/29
Temporary Meadow Grazing Closures - At this time, there are no temporary meadow grazing closures in addition to those listed in the annual Special Wilderness Public Use Limits & Closures.
Grazing Advisory and Meadow Opening Date Bulletin: May 7, 2021
Each year, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks establish opening dates for grazing in their wilderness meadows. This allows the parks to protect biological and scenic resources from the impacts that can occur when pack stock graze meadows before soil has dried and plants have developed.
Meadows are most susceptible to pack stock impacts when ground moisture levels are high. Therefore, the parks rely on the amount of winter precipitation (measured in the form of mountain snowpack) as a guide when establishing opening dates. To determine snowpack, the parks and other cooperators of the California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program collect data along a series of snow courses and snow gage sensors.
The parks use the amount of moisture in the snowpack to categorize the year as one of the following:
Dry 50% or less of the average April 1 peak snowpack
Normal 51% to 150% of the average April 1 peak snowpack
Wet 151% or more of the average April 1 peak snowpack
The parks issue two bulletins based on the April 1 and May 1 snowpack measurements in order to allow commercial outfitters, recreational users, and park operations to plan trips in advance. The bulletins update current conditions and anticipated opening dates. They will be posted on this page as they are available in the Current Situation section below.
All bulletins are advisory only. The actual opening dates of specific meadows will be determined in the field.
If you are planning a trip on or near the opening date for a particular area it is your responsibility to contact our Wilderness Office at 559-565-3766 or seki_wilderness_office@nps.gov for the latest update on conditions. More information on planning a wilderness trip using stock can be found on our Wilderness Stock Use webpage.
Current Situation
Snowpack measurements in the parks as of May 7 show that there is approximately 16% of the average peak snowpack in the San Joaquin and Kings River Drainages, 4% in the Kaweah River Drainage, and 3% in the Kern River Drainage. Snowpack data are available through the California Department of Water Resources.
At this time, the parks are anticipating that opening dates in 2021 will be categorized as a dry year in all drainages. For current park condition information, including COVID-19 safety guidance, please visit our Current Conditions page.
Tentative 2021 Opening Dates
The table below shows anticipated meadow opening dates in 2021 in all drainages. The list is arranged by drainage and travel zone. These dates are only guidelines. Depending on actual conditions, changes in opening dates may be made as the season progresses. If you are planning a trip, it is your responsibility to contact the parks' Wilderness Office for latest condition updates. The office can be reached at seki_wilderness_office@nps.gov or at 559- 565-3766. Changes in opening dates are also posted at www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/stockuse.htm, along with other information important to planning a stock-supported wilderness trip. Check our overnight backpacking web pages for additional information about wilderness travel.
Note that the opening dates only restrict grazing, not access. We permit pack trips prior to opening dates as long as all feed is packed in and stock remain tied to either an existing hitch rail or a “high line” between two trees or rocks on a flat, hard, non-vegetated site away from the meadow, trail, water, and camp.
We appreciate your cooperation in managing stock use in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Together we can continue to protect the natural diversity and beauty of the Sierra wilderness.
River Drainage
Travel Zone
Forage Areas
Name of Travel Zone
Anticipated Meadow Opening Date
San Joaquin
28
all
Goddard Canyon
7/1
San Joaquin
33
1
Evolution
6/15
San Joaquin
33
2-4
McClure, Colby and Darwin
7/7
San Joaquin
34
all
Evolution Basin
7/15
Kings
38
all
Blue Canyon
7/1
Kings
39
all
LeConte*
7/1
Kings
42
all
Dusy Creek
7/1
Kings
45
all
Upper Palisade Creek
7/1
Kings
46
1, 3-6
Upper S.Fork Kings River/Above JMT Jxn.
7/15
Kings
46
2
Upper S.Fork Kings River/Below JMT Jxn.
7/1
Kings
51
all
Simpson and Tehipite
7/1
Kings
52
all
Kennedy Canyon
7/1
Kings
53
1-6, 8
Dougherty Creek
7/15
Kings
53
7
Shorty's Meadow
8/1
Kings
54
all
Granite Basin
6/20
Kings
56
all
Twin Lakes
7/1
Kings
57
all
Woods Lake Basin
7/15
Kings
58
1
Castle Domes*
7/1
Kings
58
2-3
Woods Creek Crossing
7/7
Kings
63
all
Charlotte Creek
7/1
Kings
65
all
Upper Bubbs Creek
7/1
Kings
66
all
Lower Bubbs Creek
6/15
Kings
67
all
East Lake
7/1
Kings
68
all
Sphinx Creek
6/15
Kings
69
all
Roaring River
6/10
Kings
70
all
Cloud Canyon
6/10
Kings
71
all
Deadman Canyon
6/15
Kings
72
1-13.1
Sugarloaf
6/15
Kings
72
13.2-22
Ferguson
6/15
Kings
73
all
Ball Dome Area
6/15
Kaweah
74
all
Clover and Silliman Creeks
6/15
Kaweah
75
all
Lone Pine Creek
7/1
Kaweah
77
1-4, 6-7
Bearpaw Meadow, Cliff Creek, Pinto Lake
6/15
Kaweah
77
5
Redwood Meadow
6/1
Kern
79
all
Kern-Kaweah
7/1
Kern
80
all
Tyndall Creek
6/20
Kern
81
1-2.2, 2.4
Wright and Wallace Creeks
6/20
Kern
81
2.3
Wallace Creek Waterfall
7/1
Kern
82
all
Upper Kern Canyon (Junction Mdw to Hot Springs)
6/25
Kern
83
1-3, 7-8
Lower Crabtree
6/20
Kern
83
4, 6
Upper Crabtree
7/5
Kern
84
all
Lower Rock Creek
6/20
Kern
85
3-4, 6-7, 10
Upper Rock Creek
7/1
Kern
85
8.1, 8.2
Rock Creek Lake and Stringer Meadows
7/5
Kern
86
all
Lower Kern Canyon (Hot Springs to Kern Ranger Station)
