The Mineral King Road narrows between two giant sequoias on its way to the Mineral King Valley within Sequoia National Park.
NPS Photo
September 1, 2022 - SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, Calif. - Labor Day Weekend is the last major holiday weekend of the summer in the parks, and as such is often as busy or even busier than the Fourth of July. Visitors are strongly encouraged to plan ahead to ensure an enjoyable and safe holiday weekend.
Driving
Expect congestion and lines at park entrances. Avoid long waiting periods by arriving prior to 9 a.m. or after 3 p.m., and have your method of payment ready when you arrive at the gate. Save time and take advantage of an additional entry lane to the parks by purchasing your park pass online ahead of time at www.recreation.gov/pass. Bring snacks, water, and a full tank of gas.
RVs and trailers longer than 22 feet are advised to enter through the Big Stump Entrance Station in Kings Canyon National Park. Vehicles longer than 22 feet are not advised on the Generals Highway between Hospital Rock and Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park, due to the many sharp curves in this section.
Campgrounds
Advance reservations are required to camp in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Campground reservations can be made up to one month in advance using www.recreation.gov, or by calling (877) 444-6777. Do not arrive planning to camp if you do not have a reservation. At this time, campsites for the holiday weekend are fully booked throughout both parks. All park campgrounds are open except for Dorst Creek Campground.
There are currently no public showers or laundry facilities available in the parks. Portable showers are permitted, but campers must collect the water and dispose of it in one of the outdoor sinks. All vehicles (2 allowed per site) must fit onto the parking pad. Overflow parking for cars that cannot fit onto parking pads is limited.
Bears
Bears have been active in all commonly visited areas of the parks recently, and it is critical that everyone manage their food, garbage, and scented items carefully to avoid serious problems between bears and humans. When bears obtain food from people, whether or not the people intended to feed them, they become more aggressive in their attempts to get more. In some situations, when a bear has become food-conditioned and bold with people, the parks must euthanize the bear to protect public safety.
Utilize the metal storage lockers near parking areas to store food and scented items that you are not planning to carry with you in the parks. Ensure that any garbage you throw away fits all the way inside the garbage receptacle, and that the receptacle closes properly. If there is not room in the receptacle for your garbage, pack it out with you. If you are camping, all food, scented items, and coolers, including bear-proof ice chests, must fit into the metal storage box at your campsite (most are 47" long x 33" deep x 28"high). Citations are issued for improper food storage.
Fire
Campfires and charcoal fires are prohibited outside of designated picnic areas and designated campgrounds. Stage 2 fire restrictions are in effect in the parks, which means that wood and charcoal fires and barbeques are prohibited in South Fork, Potwisha, and Buckeye Flat Campgrounds, and Hospital Rock and Foothills picnic areas. Gas, propane, alcohol (with and without a shutoff valve) and tablet/cube stoves are permitted.
Labor Day Weekend is predicted to coincide with a heat wave, which will exacerbate already very hot and dry conditions. All fires must be closely and personally attended, and fully extinguished before you go to bed or leave the area. Rangers will be on patrol looking for and addressing unattended fires.
Shuttles
Tickets to enter the parks using the Sequoia Shuttle are $20.00 per person, and reservations are required - visit www.sequoiashuttle.com for more information. Shuttles within the Giant Forest area are free to use. All parking areas are expected to be crowded throughout the weekend. When parking lots near the General Sherman Tree are full, visitors are advised to park at Lodgepole or the Wuksachi Lodge and use the shuttle.
The Moro Rock/Crescent Meadow Road will be closed to personal vehicles from Saturday, September 3, to Monday, September 5. To access these areas, visitors can catch the shuttle at the Giant Forest Museum.
Wilderness
Wilderness permits can be reserved through www.recreation.gov up to six months in advance of your entry date. Reservations close one week prior to entry dates. A limited number of first-come, first-served permits are available daily at permit issuing stations in Cedar Grove, Grant Grove, Giant Forest Museum, Ash Mountain, and Mineral King. Reservations are the only way to be assured of a wilderness permit. Walk-up permits are in extremely high demand. If you don’t have a reservation, have alternate plans in case your first or second choice of entry points is unavailable.
Wilderness permit quota season ends on September 17, after which permits are not limited and are available by self-issue.
For more information and the latest updates, please visit our website, www.nps.gov/seki. When you are in the parks, refer to the map and newspaper that you receive at the entrance station for a wealth of trip planning information.
Have a safe, fun, and memorable holiday weekend at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks!
Source: NPS
