Park Shuttles

Alison Taggart-Barone

 

Winter Holiday Shuttles

Free shuttles will be available in the Giant Forest and Lodgepole areas from November 28 through December 1, and December 21 through January 1, weather dependent. Shuttles run every 10 minutes or so from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm. All buses accommodate wheelchairs and bicycles. Restrooms are available at all stops.

Shuttle stops include:

• Wuksachi Lodge
  Lodging, dining, gift shop, pay telephone, and snacks.
• Lodgepole Village
  Gift shop, pay telephone, and market with snacks. Snowplay equipment are rented and sold at Lodgepole Market when snow is on the ground. Camping is available through December 3.
• Wolverton Snowplay Area & Parking
  Park here to ride a shuttle to the General Sherman Tree (when Sherman Tree Main Trail & Parking is closed), or stay for cross-country skiing and snowplay. (Snowplay equipment are rented and sold at Lodgepole.) Pay telephone available.
• Sherman Tree Main Trail & Parking
  Parking area and shuttle stop are open through December 1, snow permitting. The Main Sherman Tree Trail runs ½-mile down to the General Sherman Tree. When the shuttle is running, you can avoid the uphill return trip by continuing to the Sherman Tree Shuttle Stop on the Generals Highway, then riding the shuttle back to your car. When it snows, the road to this area closes.
• Sherman Tree Shuttle Stop
  This is the shortest trail to the Sherman Tree. Between 10:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. when the shuttle is running, ride it here from any stop, or park here anytime with an accessible parking placard.
• Giant Forest Museum
  Open daily from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm through January 1. Stop in for exhibits about sequoias, a bookstore, park information, and wilderness permits.

Winter shuttles ONLY operate within Sequoia National Park; there are no shuttles in Kings Canyon National Park.

 

 

Summer Shuttles

Shuttles will be in service from Thursday, May 23 - Sunday, September 8. Shuttle service to Dorst Campground on the Purple Route 3 will begin on Wednesday, June 19. Our buses reduce air pollution and let you skip finding parking. All buses are wheelchair accessible.

• Free Park Shuttles
  Ride free shuttles throughout the Giant Forest and Lodgepole areas.
• Round-trip shuttles from Visalia to Sequoia National Park
  Sightsee as you travel from the Visalia area to the Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park. Reservations are required and can be made online or by calling [phone].
• Dark Sky Festival
  Explore the park after dark with a special route for the Dark Sky Festival Friday, August 23 - Saturday, August 24. Schedule to be determined.

No shuttle operates in Kings Canyon National Park.
The Big Trees shuttle is no longer in service.

 

Sequoia Shuttle

Visalia Route - $20 round trip

In summer, the Sequoia Shuttle offers trips from the neighboring towns of Visalia and Three Rivers, up Highway 198 to Giant Forest Museum in Sequoia National Park. A round-trip ride is $20 per person and includes the park entrance fee. Please note that shuttles can only pick up riders at designated stops. Reservations are required and can be made online through the Sequoia Shuttle reservation system or by calling 877-BUS-HIKE.

Free In-park Shuttle

In summer, the Sequoia Shuttle offers free rides in Sequoia National Park's Giant Forest, Lodgepole, Wuksachi, and Dorst Creek Campground areas along the following routes:

 

Giant Forest | Green Route 1 | Free

Departs daily every half hour, starting at 8:00 am and 8:30 am, then every 15 minutes from 9:00 am - 6:00 pm. Stops include:

• Lodgepole
• General Sherman Tree Main Trail and Parking
• General Sherman Tree Accessible Trail
• Giant Forest Museum

 

Moro Rock / Crescent Meadow | Gray Route 2 | Free

On weekends, this shuttle leaves Giant Forest Museum at 8:00 am and 8:45 am, then every 10 minutes from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. On weekdays, it leaves Giant Forest Museum at 8:00 am and 8:45 am, then every 20 minutes from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Moro Rock-Crescent Meadow Road is closed to private vehicles on weekends and holidays. The road will also close to private vehicles for the 4th of July holiday week, Saturday, June 29 to Sunday, July 7. Shuttle stops include:

• Giant Forest Museum
• Moro Rock (on the outbound trip)
• Crescent Meadow
• Auto Log (on weekends and holidays)
• Tunnel Log (on weekends and holidays)

 

Lodgepole/ Wuksachi | Purple Route 3 | Free

Shuttles arrive approximately every 20 minutes from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.

• Lodgepole Visitor Center and Campground
• Wuksachi Lodge and Restaurant
• Dorst Campground

 

General Sherman Tree Trails | Orange Route 4 | Free

Free shuttles arrive approximately every 15 minutes from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, connecting Wolverton Picnic Area and Trailhead to the Sherman Tree.

• General Sherman Tree Main Trail and Parking
• General Sherman Tree Accessible Trail
• Wolverton Trailhead and Picnic Area

 

Shuttle From Visalia to Giant Forest

This round trip is $20 and includes the park entrance fee. Shuttles pick up riders at Visalia, Exeter, and Lemon Cove hotels beginning at 6:00 am, or in Three Rivers at the Comfort Inn and the Three Rivers Museum beginning at 6:55 am. The Return trips start at 2:30 pm, with the last trip at 6:30 pm.

Please note that shuttles can only pick up riders at designated stops, and it's not possible to board the shuttle at the Foothills Visitor Center.

Reservations are required. Call 877-BUS-HIKE or make reservations online through the City of Visalia's Sequoia Shuttle reservation system.

 

Sequoia Shuttle route map

 

Tips for Shuttle Riders

Parking

When riding the shuttle, conserve parking by using our larger parking areas. Along the Sequoia Shuttle route, those include the Sherman Tree Parking and Trail, Wolverton, Lodgepole Campground Parking Area, Giant Forest Museum, or Wuksachi Lodge. It's best to avoid the Giant Forest Museum parking area on weekends and holidays.

Before Leaving Your Vehicle

Remove all food and scented items from your car or campsite and store them in a bear-resistant box. Learn about bears and required food storage before you come to the parks.

Shuttle Stops

Signs at each stop provide details about bus times and areas of interest at each stop. Some stops are along a loop, and others have shuttles that travel in different directions. Ask the driver for the time of the last pickup to be sure you make it back to your stop in time.

Walk and Ride

Consider taking the shuttle to your destination and walking back to your vehicle. Walking back ensures that there is no risk of missing the last shuttle of the day.

Plan Ahead

Pack a small backpack with what you need for the day: park newspaper and map, snacks, water, extra clothing and money. Lodgepole Visitor Center and Giant Forest Museum (in Sequoia) are excellent places to stop for information and trip-planning ideas.

Shuttle Riders with Wilderness Permits

If you plan to arrive in Sequoia via shuttle from Visalia, there are NO in-park shuttles or public transportation from Sequoia National Park to Kings Canyon National Parks. If you arrive at Sequoia without a car, it is not possible to reach wilderness trailheads north of Dorst Campground in Sequoia National Park, including those in Grant Grove and Cedar Grove.(The Big Trees shuttle, still mentioned on some websites as operating in the Grant Grove area, is no longer in service.)