The roads are closed to vehicle traffic for the winter season, but will remain open to winter recreation such as hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. Roads will reopen once they have been cleared and made safe for vehicles.
Highway 180 Access To Cedar Grove Area of Kings Canyon National Park Closed For the Season
Highway 180 is closed east of Hume Lake Road for the winter season. Cedar Grove is not accessible. This section of road typically reopens in late April.
The portion of Mineral King Road inside Sequoia National Park is closed for the winter season to the general public. The road typically reopens in May on the Wednesday before Memorial Day, but could be later depending on conditions.
Several Small Roads Closed Due to Roadway Damage Or Snow Accumulation
These roads are closed due to roadway damage during past storm events or due to snow accumulation: Crystal Cave Rd, Middle Fork Rd, Redwood Canyon Rd, South Fork Rd, Panoramic Point Rd, lower parking lot at Giant Forest Museum More
Two highways enter the parks. Hwy 180 from Fresno leads east to Kings Canyon National Park, then continues 30 miles east to Cedar Grove. Hwy 198 from Visalia leads east to Sequoia National Park via Three Rivers. Inside the parks, Highway 198 becomes the Generals Highway, which connects 198 to 180.
Vehicles over 22-feet long should enter the parks via Highway 180.
In winter, the Generals Highway between the parks often closes. Chains may be required on park roads.
No roads cross the parks east to west.
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.
This visitor center is one mile past the Ash Mountain entrance station along the Generals Highway. Stop here for information, maps, books, gifts, and restrooms. Browse exhibits about the ecology and human history of the foothills, and join a free ranger-led program.
Current Hours (Fall, Winter, Spring Hours - End Date And Operating Hours Are Subject to Change)
October 13–May 23
Sunday-Thursday:9:00 AM–4:30 PM
Friday:9:30 AM–4:00 PM
Saturday:9:00 AM–4:30 PM
The end date and operating hours of the spring schedule are subject to change.
Standard Hours
Every Day:8:00 AM–5:00 PM
Except when weather or safety conditions require a closure, Foothills Visitor Center is open every day. Hours vary seasonally.
Closures & Seasonal Exceptions
Fall, Winter, Spring Hours - End Date And Operating Hours Are Subject to Change
October 13–May 23
Sunday-Thursday:9:00 AM–4:30 PM
Friday:9:30 AM–4:00 PM
Saturday:9:00 AM–4:30 PM
The end date and operating hours of the spring schedule are subject to change.
The museum is housed in a historic market in the Giant Forest sequoia grove at 6,500 feet (1,980 m) elevation. Explore exhibits about sequoias and learn why this landscape grows the biggest of big trees. Stop here before you explore the grove. Giant Forest Museum is open year-round except when weather or safety conditions require a closure. Hours vary seasonally. During wilderness permit non-quota season, permits can be picked up at a self-issue station outside the museum.
Current Hours (Spring Hours)
March 28–March 28
Sunday-Tuesday:9:30 AM–4:00 PM
Wednesday and Thursday:Closed
Friday and Saturday:9:30 AM–4:00 PM
Standard Hours
Every Day:9:00 AM–6:00 PM
Giant Forest Museum is open year-round except when weather or safety conditions require a closure. Hours vary seasonally.
This visitor center is in Grant Grove Village at an elevation of 6,500 feet (1,980 m). Learn about three regions in Kings Canyon National Park: giant sequoia groves, Kings Canyon, and the High Sierra. Watch a 15-minute movie (English/Spanish). A park store sells books, maps, and educational materials.
Current Hours (Spring Hours - Operating Hours Subject To Change)
March 28–March 28
Sunday:9:30 AM–4:00 PM
Monday-Wednesday:Closed
Thursday-Saturday:9:30 AM–4:00 PM
Standard Hours
Every Day:8:00 AM–5:00 PM
Kings Canyon Visitor Center is open every day of the year except when weather or safety conditions require a closure. Hours vary seasonally. A pay phone and WiFi are available.
Closures & Seasonal Exceptions
Winter Hours
January 2–March 27
Every Day:9:30 AM–4:30 PM
Spring Hours - Operating Hours Subject To Change
March 28–March 28
Sunday:9:30 AM–4:00 PM
Monday-Wednesday:Closed
Thursday-Saturday:9:30 AM–4:00 PM
Late Spring Hours - Operating Hours Subject To Change
Located in the conifer zone at an elevation of 6,700 feet (2,040 m), the visitor center provides opportunities to view exhibits, get trip planning advice, get a wilderness permit, watch several park films, or shop at the gift shop. New exhibits immerse visitors in the wilderness environments of the parks, from the foothills to the highest peaks and to underground caves, as well as exploring the human history of the southern Sierra Nevada with tactile exhibits and soundscapes from every park environment.
Closed today
Current Hours (Winter Seasonal Closure)
September 28–May 30
Every Day:Closed
Standard Hours
Every Day:8:00 AM–5:00 PM
Lodgepole Visitor Center is open seasonally. It opens mid-May and closes in mid-October. Hours vary by season.
This visitor center is next to the South Fork of the Kings River in mixed conifer forest at an elevation of 4,600 feet (1,400 m). Learn about the natural and cultural history of the Cedar Grove area. Nearby services include accessible restrooms and a pay phone.
Closed today
Current Hours (Winter Closure (End Date Subject to Change Based on Conditions))
September 28–May 23
Every Day:Closed
Services in Cedar Grove close for the winter, usually when Highway 180 closes for the winter season.
Standard Hours
Every Day:9:00 AM–5:00 PM
Cedar Grove Visitor Center is open seasonally, generally opening the Friday before Memorial Day weekend and closing in mid-September. The visitor center may close on weekdays early or late in the season, and may close for lunch any time of the year.
Closures & Seasonal Exceptions
Winter Closure (End Date Subject to Change Based on Conditions)
September 28–May 23
Every Day:Closed
Services in Cedar Grove close for the winter, usually when Highway 180 closes for the winter season.
Located in a mixed-conifer forest at 7,600 feet (2,320 m), the Mineral King Ranger Station houses some exhibits on Mineral King's human and natural history. Books, maps, and educational items for sale. Food storage canisters are available. Obtain wilderness permits here.
Planning to park overnight? Marmots may attempt to get in your car's undercarriage or damage wiring. Make sure that you wrap the underside of your vehicle in a tarp.
Closed today
Current Hours (Winter Seasonal Closure (End Date Subject To Change Based On Conditions))
October 22–May 23
Every Day:Closed
Standard Hours
Every Day:7:30 AM–4:00 PM
Mineral King Ranger Station is generally open from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend. Hours may vary.
Closures & Seasonal Exceptions
Winter Seasonal Closure (End Date Subject To Change Based On Conditions)
October 22–May 23
Every Day:Closed
Holidays
2025–2026
New Year's Day
January 1, 2026
Closed
Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
January 19, 2026
Closed
Washington's Birthday
February 16, 2026
Closed
Veterans Day
November 11, 2025
Closed
Thanksgiving Day
November 27, 2025
Closed
Christmas Day
December 25, 2025
Closed
Holiday
Date
Hours
Public WiFi is available.
Free public WiFi is offered by the park at two visitor centers: Kings Canyon Visitor Center in Grant Grove Village, and Foothills Visitor Center near the Sequoia park entrance. No password is needed. WiFi is also available for guests of park lodges.
Cell service varies in the park but is very limited. AT&T service is available near the Sequoia Park entrance. Verizon service is available in the Grant Grove and Lodgepole areas. Service is occasionally available in other areas.
Learn more important trip planning information for visiting Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks:
Which Park Do I Go To?
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are two parks run by the National Park Service under one unit, which means visitors get the best of both worlds! Each park has its own areas and features that make it completely unique.
Sequoia National Park includes the Foothills, Giant Forest, Lodgepole, Wuksachi, and Mineral King areas. Some important features in the area are the Hospital Rock, General Sherman Tree, Crescent Meadow, and Moro Rock.
Kings Canyon National Park includes Grant Grove and Cedar Grove areas. Grant Grove features the General Grant Tree and panoramic views of the parks. Cedar Grove offers riverside trails, the iconic Zumwalt Meadow, and acts as a portal to the wilderness of the High Sierra.
Sequoia National Forest and Sierra National Forestboth border these national parks. If you drive the Generals Highway between Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, you'll cross national forest lands, which are managed by a different agency. Some rules vary between national parks and national forests.
For more detailed information on the parks and their area features, please visit the Places to Go page.
Weather in the parks can vary depending on elevation.
NPS / Sage Boerke
Know Before You Go
The parks are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Occasionally, winter storms will close roads leading into the parks until they can be plowed or repaired. No reservation is required to enter Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
The park "Trip Planner" is a good place to start when planning a visit.
It includes phone numbers, opening/closing dates, and information on camping, lodging, dining, shopping, showers, activities, attractions, hiking trails, wilderness permits, food storage, safety, road-construction delays, where to find gasoline, vehicle-length advisories, shuttle service, a park map, and more.
Permits & Reservations
Some special activities in these parks require a permit, such as camping in the wilderness, commercial tours, filming, or scientific research.
Check the Permits and Reservations page for information about different permit types and instructions on how to apply.
Current Conditions
Seeing these parks involves going up in elevation. Sequoias grow about one mile higher in elevation than the orchards of the San Joaquin Valley. Weather varies from low to high elevation.
Snow may close the Generals Highway between the parks while flowers bloom in the foothills.
Check our Current Conditions page, for weather forecasts, road advisories, and other up-to-date information.
Roads in the park can be busy and narrow.
NPS / Holly Brown
Driving in the Parks
Vehicle Length Limits
Roads in the parks are narrow, winding, and steep. Because of this, longer vehicles often cross the double yellow line and pose a danger to other drivers. Advisories are in place on some park roads.
Drivers will be held responsible for any hazardous conditions caused by their actions. Follow these recommendations for your safety and the safety of others.
Gasoline & Emergency Automobile Services
No gas stations or repair shops are inside park boundaries. Gas and emergency vehicle services are available nearby in national forests.
Shuttle Services
Park and ride! In summer, shuttles operate within Sequoia National Park and can bring you to the park from nearby towns. Shuttles also run during some winter holidays.
Visit the General Sherman tree in the Giant Forest.
NPS / Photo
Things to Do
Places to Go
Visitor services are concentrated in five different areas: Grant Grove, Giant Forest, and Foothills areas stay open all year.
Cedar Grove and Mineral King open from late spring to early fall.
Join us for a walk, talk, or campfire program! Programs are offered year-round.
Camping and Lodging
Campgrounds are open in all areas spring through fall; some stay open in winter.
Find lodging and other services at Grant Grove, Giant Forest, and Wuksachi year-round, and at Cedar Grove during summer and early fall.
Lodging, camping, and other services are also available in the national forests and communities bordering the parks.
Eating & Sleeping
There are many options for restaurants in these parks.
Crystal Cave (Closed for 2024)
Sequoia Parks Conservancy has announced the closure of Crystal Cave for the 2024 season due to damage sustained to the road, trail, and visitor facilities at Crystal Cave during the 2021 KNP Complex wildfire and the extreme winter weather in winter of 2023.
Swimming in rivers is very dangerous in the parks.
NPS Photo
Safety
Your safety is your responsibility. Before you visit, learn about hazards you may encounter in natural areas.
Rivers
All rivers in the parks are extremely hazardous, especially during spring and early summer when melting snow makes waters swift and icy cold.
Additionally, rocks around rivers are very slippery. Be careful when climbing or walking on said surfaces.
Fire & Your Visit
As fire danger increases in summer, restrictions on fire may begin, including limits on campfires, barbeques, smoking, and wilderness campfires.
To learn about how the park manages fire and its role in keeping sequoia groves healthy, visit our prescribed-fire web page.
Bears & Food Storage
Black bears are found throughout the parks.
Bears will grab unattended food and have damaged property in an attempt to get human foods. They can become bold and aggressive in attempts to get more food, which can be a risk to your safety.
Follow food-storage rules during your visit. If you camp, be prepared to remove all food and scented items from your vehicle and store in the provided food storage boxes.
Weapons & Firearms in the Parks
Weapons (including, but not limited to, BB, pellet and paint guns; bow/arrow, slingshots, bear spray, and other compressed-gas irritant devices) are illegal to possess.
No firearms, including concealed-carry, are allowed in any federal building. Discharge of a firearm or weapon is prohibited within Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
NPS / Kirke Wrench
Additional Info
Pets
Pets are limited to few places in the park, and are not permitted on trails. Service dogs (not including emotional support animals) may attend to their handlers accompany them in park facilities. Rules for pets vary between our parks and the neighboring national forest land.
Accessibility
If you or someone you are traveling with has with mobility or sensory impairments, there are trails, programs, and other options that are right for you. You can also ask for accessibility information at any visitor center.
News Releases
Get updates on special events, conditions, future road construction, fee-free dates, fire information, public comment opportunities, and more.
NPS App
Explore Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks with the free, NPS app. Download the data for the parks so that even when you are out of your cellular network range, this interactive guide can help you make the most out of your trip.
