Visiting in Fall, Winter, and Spring?
Tire chains can be required at any time on some park roads due to snow and ice. Which vehicles require traction devices can also change at any time. Prepare for winter driving by carrying properly sized snow traction devices for your vehicle. Chains can sometimes be purchased or rented from businesses near the entrance stations.
For your safety and the safety of others, vehicles that do not have proper snow traction devices may not be allowed on certain roads or may not be allowed to enter the parks.
A park alert will be posted whenever chains are required -- click on the Alerts symbol at the top of any web page. The road information tables below identify sections of road that require vehicle chains. More specific information about chain requirements can be available on the Road Information Hotline. Entrance stations and visitor centers will have the most current and specific information about chain requirements.
Road Information Hotline:
(559) 565-3341 (press 1, then 1)
Other Information:
See the Current Conditions page for information about conditions beyond roads.
Generals Highway
This is the main highway that connects Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, and provides access to the Giant Forest.
Segments of the highway are listed from south to north.
| Road Segment |
Status |
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Ash Mountain / Highway 198 Entrance Station to Hospital Rock
Foothills Area
The southern-most six miles of the highway along Middle Fork Kaweah River, from the park entrance station near Three Rivers, CA, to the Hospital Rock Picnic Area.
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OPEN
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Hospital Rock to Junction with Wolverton Rd
Foothills, Giant Forest Areas
This section of highway features many hairpin turns and is not recommended for vehicles longer than 22'. Tire chain restrictions are frequently in effect due to snow and ice on a narrow, curvy roadway.
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OPEN - ACTIVE ALERT
Due to snow and ice on the roadway, all vehicles, including 4WD and AWD, must carry snow traction devices for tires. Please call 559-565-3341, for specific road conditions and chain control information. |
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Junction with Wolverton Road to Wuksachi Lodge
Giant Forest, Lodgepole Areas
This section of road provides access to Lodgepole Village, Lodgepole Campground, and Wuksachi Lodge.
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OPEN - ACTIVE ALERT
Due to snow and ice on the roadway, all vehicles, including 4WD and AWD, must carry snow traction devices for tires. Please call 559-565-3341, for specific road conditions and chain control information. |
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Wuksachi Lodge to Montecito Sequoia Lodge
This section of road travels from Sequoia National Park into Sequoia National Forest. The highway can temporarily close during snow storms in the spring.
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OPEN - ACTIVE ALERT
Due to snow and ice on the roadway, all vehicles, including 4WD and AWD, must carry snow traction devices for tires. Please call 559-565-3341, for specific road conditions and chain control information. |
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Montecito Sequoia Lodge to Quail Flat Snowplay Area
This section of road provides access to several trailheads in Sequoia National Park as well as portions of Sequoia National Forest.
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OPEN - ACTIVE ALERT
Due to snow and ice on the roadway, all vehicles, including 4WD and AWD, must carry snow traction devices for tires. Please call 559-565-3341, for specific road conditions and chain control information. |
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Quail Flat Snowplay Area to Junction with Highway 180
Grant Grove Area
This section of road provides access to Grant Grove and Redwood Mountain Overlook in Kings Canyon National Park, and some portions of Sequoia National Forest.
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OPEN - ACTIVE ALERT
Due to snow and ice on the roadway, all vehicles, including 4WD and AWD, must carry snow traction devices for tires. Please call 559-565-3341, for specific road conditions and chain control information. |
Highway 180
This highway provides access to Kings Canyon National Park from Fresno, and connects the Grant Grove and Cedar Grove areas of the park.
Segments of the highway are listed from west to east.
| Road Segment |
Status |
|
Big Stump Entrance Station to Hume Lake Road
Grant Grove Area
Provides access to Kings Canyon National Park from Fresno and all points to the west. Subject to temporary closure due to snow events.
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OPEN - ACTIVE ALERT
Due to snow and ice on the roadway, all vehicles, including 4WD and AWD, must carry snow traction devices for tires. Please call 559-565-3341, for specific road conditions and chain control information. |
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Hume Lake Road to Roads End
Grant Grove Area
Provides access to the Kings River Canyon and Cedar Grove area.
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CLOSED
This section of the highway is closed for the winter. It typically reopens in late April. |
Sequoia National Park Roads
| Road |
Status |
|
Generals Highway
Foothills, Giant Forest, Lodgepole, Grant Grove Areas
This is the main highway that connects Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, and provides access to the Giant Forest.
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See the Generals Highway Table above.
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Middle Fork Road
Foothills Area
This road leads to Buckeye Flat Campground and is unpaved beyond.
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CLOSED
Closed Indefinitely
Foot traffic only. Road closed due to washouts. Buckeye Flat Campground is closed due to infrastructure damage.
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Crystal Cave Road
Giant Forest Area
This road leads to Buckeye Flat Campground and is unpaved beyond that.
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CLOSED
Closed for 2024
Closed due to extensive damage and hazard trees from the 2021 KNP Complex Fire and flooding during extreme storms in winter 2022-2023. Repairs and recovery efforts will continue in spring 2025.
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Crescent Meadow Road and Moro Rock Loop
Giant Forest Area
In the summer, this road is most easily accessed by free shuttles.
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CLOSED
These roads are not cleared of snow in winter or during winter storms. When the roads are closed to vehicles, they are open for winter recreation opportunities such as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The roads will reopen if snow and ice melt off the roadway. |
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Wolverton Road
Giant Forest Area
This road provides access to Wolverton snowplay area and, when it is open, the Sherman Tree Main Trail and Parking Area (see below).
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OPEN - ACTIVE ALERT
Due to snow and ice on the roadway, all vehicles, including 4WD and AWD, must carry snow traction devices for tires. Please call 559-565-3341, for specific road conditions and chain control information. |
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Sherman Tree Main Trail and Parking Area
Giant Forest Area
The main parking lot for walking to the General Sherman Tree.
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OPEN - ACTIVE ALERT
Due to snow and ice on the roadway, all vehicles, including 4WD and AWD, must carry snow traction devices for tires. Please call 559-565-3341, for specific road conditions and chain control information. |
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Mineral King Road
Mineral King Area
This road is very narrow and curving and the upper portion is partially unpaved. The road is often less than two lanes wide, and there are no guardrails. RV's and trailers are not recommended (nor permitted in the Mineral King campgrounds). Drive slow.
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CLOSED
Closed at the park boundary to general vehicle traffic for the winter season. |
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North Fork Road
Foothills Area
Unpaved inside the park boundary.
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OPEN
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South Fork Road
Foothills Area
Unpaved. High clearance vehicles recommended.
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OPEN - ACTIVE ALERT
Alert: A portion of the road reopened in late summer 2024 -- it is not possible to drive to the trailhead parking area at end of the road . The South Fork Campground remains closed. The Lady Bug Trail is closed due to impacts from the 2024 Coffee Pot Fire.
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Kings Canyon National Park Roads
| Road |
Status |
|
Highway 180
Grant Grove, Cedar Grove Areas
This highway provides access to Kings Canyon National Park from Fresno, and connects the Grant Grove and Cedar Grove areas of the park.
|
See the Highway 180 Table above.
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Generals Highway
Foothills, Giant Forest, Lodgepole, Grant Grove Areas
This is the main highway that connects Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, and provides access to the Giant Forest.
|
See the Generals Highway Table above.
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Panoramic Point Road (Panoramic Drive)
Grant Grove Area
This road leads from Kings Canyon Visitor Center to Panoramic Point.
The road is narrow. RVs and trailers are not permitted.
In the winter this road is not plowed. It closes to vehicles when snow accumulates. The road reopens if snow melts off the roadway. When closed to vehicles in winter, the road is open to winter recreation.
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CLOSED
In the winter this road is not plowed. It closes to vehicles when snow accumulates. The road reopens if snow melts off the roadway. When closed to vehicles in winter, the road is open to winter recreation
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Grant Tree Road
Grant Grove Area
Provides access to trails to General Grant Tree and surrounding sequoia groves.
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OPEN - ACTIVE ALERT
Due to snow and ice on the roadway, all vehicles, including 4WD and AWD, must carry snow traction devices for tires. Please call 559-565-3341, for specific road conditions and chain control information.
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Redwood Mountain Road
Grant Grove Area
This unpaved road leads from the Generals Highway to Redwood Mountain Trailhead.
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CLOSED
Closed due to tread damage and tree hazards following the 2021 KNP Complex wildfire. No reopening date has been set.
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Other Area Roads
| Road |
Status |
|
Highway 245
Near Grant Grove, west of the parks
This highway is often used to drive between Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks when Generals Highway is closed in the winter.
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OPEN
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Hume Lake Road
Sequoia National Forest, northeast of Grant Grove
Paved road from Highway 180 to Hume Lake. Usually open year-round.
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OPEN - CALL AHEAD FOR CONDITIONS
Call the Hume Lake Ranger District for the most current road conditions:
(559) 338-2251
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Other Sequoia National Forest Roads
Paved and unpaved roads near the parks in the Hume Lake Ranger District of Sequoia National Forest
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Call the Hume Lake Ranger District for the most current road conditions:
(559) 338-2251
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Trail, Road and Area 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. Check the Alerts at the top of this page for additional road closures.
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Check in on current conditions in the parks.
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Check the weather forecasts for different areas of the parks
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