Frequently Asked Questions
Helpful Things to Know Before You Go
As you venture into this pristine stretch of Sierra wilderness, and perhaps stay at a classic national park lodge like the Wuksachi Lodge in Sequoia, and the John Muir Lodge or Cedar Grove Lodge in Kings Canyon, please protect the parks and always be alert to changes in weather, terrain and other natural features and conditions.
Read on for answers to frequently asked questions and some travel tips to make your visit to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks as enjoyable as possible.
Latest Road Conditions
For the latest road conditions update recording, call 559-565-3134, then 1 & then 1 again when prompted. Information is also available on our Road Conditions & Travel Alerts page.
Check Current Road/Weather Conditions
Before entering the park it is always a good idea to check the latest road and weather updates by calling 559-565-3341 or visiting the National Park Service's website. During the winter months, Highway 180 (northern entrance) can close periodically after a heavy snowfall. When this is the case, Highway 198 is the only way in and out of the park, so check to make sure the road you intend to use is open. Regardless of which road you use, please be advised that snow chains are required to be carried in all vehicles during the winter months as they may be needed at any time.
RVs & Trailers
Vehicle length limits have changed in Sequoia National Park (if entering/exiting Hwy 198). The section of the Generals highway leading to and from the "Big Trees" in Giant Forest was built from 1921-1926. As a result, the road was not constructed to accommodate longer vehicles.
Vehicles longer than 22 feet
(6.7056 meters) are not advised between Potwisha Campground and the Giant Forest Museum in Sequoia National Park.
Vehicles longer than 24 feet
(7.3152 meters) are not advised between the Foothills Visitor Center and Potwisha Campground in Sequoia National Park.
Gas Stations
Gasoline Availability
Towards Fresno
Valero (Dunlap), 559-338-2404
- 19 miles from Kings Canyon Visitor Center
- 24 hour w/credit card; for debit card - need to hit debit button first
- Diesel available
- Air accessible 24 hrs
- No minimum purchase
- Open all year
Squaw Valley Trading Post, 559-332-2880
- 25 miles from Kings Canyon Visitor Center
- 24 hour w/credit card; for debit card - need to hit debit button first
- No diesel
- Air accessible 24 hrs
- No minimum purchase
- Open all year
Towards Cedar Grove - Highway 180 East
Hume Lake, 559-305-7770, ext. 1279
- 9 miles from Kings Canyon Visitor Center
- 24 hour w/credit card
- Diesel available
- Air accessible 24 hrs
- No minimum purchase
- Open all year
Towards Sequoia National Park - South on Generals Highway
Stony Creek 559-565-3909
- 14 miles from Kings Canyon Visitor Center
- 24 hour w/credit card
- Diesel
- Air available
- No minimum purchase
- Seasonal, Memorial Day to mid-September
Wuksachi Lodge - Dinner Reservations
For information about dinner reservations, please visit The Peaks Restaurant page.
Be Bear Aware
Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park are natural habitats for black bears. Bears are incredibly intelligent and have learned that where there are people, there is most likely food, so the Park Service has requested that all visitors remove any food or scented items from your vehicles. You are certainly welcome to bring food with you, and at Wuksachi Lodge we have mini-refrigerators in all of our guestrooms for your convenience, but just keep in mind that any food and/or food containers (coolers, etc.) you bring with you will have to be unloaded and taken inside.
Wuksachi Lodge - Check-In and Distances Between Buildings
Wuksachi Lodge is a series of buildings designed to blend into the surrounding forest to give you a more secluded, scenic mountaintop experience. Guestroom buildings are located a short distance away (100-200 yards) from the main lodge that houses the front desk and restaurant, so wait to unload your luggage until after you have checked in. There are individual parking areas just below the guestroom buildings with luggage carts available to help transport your bags to your room. Assistance to and from the main lodge building is available upon request.
Wuksachi Lodge - No Elevators
When Wuksachi Lodge was built, one of the goals was to maintain as small a carbon footprint as possible. As such, there were no elevators installed in our guestroom buildings. If you have difficulty going up and down stairs, please call our reservations office at 866-807-3598 (international callers dial 801-559-4930 and request an entry-level room (please note that some of our buildings are entered via the second floor). While we cannot guarantee every special request we receive, requests for entry-level rooms due to mobility issues are given high priority.
Low Light Levels
Nighttime is magical in Sequoia, and at 7,000+ feet above sea level, with an almost non-existent amount of light pollution, it is amazing to see the millions of stars in the night sky. To preserve the beautiful nighttime view, and in keeping with our commitment to maintain a small carbon footprint, outdoor lighting is minimal around the Wuksachi Lodge grounds. The path between our guestroom buildings and the main lodge is illuminated and paved, but some people find the path hard to see at night. For this reason, we recommend that you bring a flashlight with you.
Cell Phone and Internet Service
Cell Phone
Please know that very few areas of Sequoia and Kings Canyon have cell phone service. Depending on your carrier, you may get service in some spots in the parks, but you should not count on it. You will not have reception at Wuksachi Lodge. Some guests may get reception at John Muir Lodge. If anyone needs to reach you during your stay, they can also call the hotel direct at 559-565-4070 ext. 0.
Internet
Wireless internet is available in the common areas of Wuksachi and John Muir Lodges. This includes the lobby of John Muir Lodge and the lobby, restaurant, lounge, and meeting rooms of Wuksachi Lodge.
Due to our remote location, internet is limited at both John Muir Lodge and Wuksachi Lodge. Our internet is provided via satellite which has limited bandwidth, low speeds and high "latency." Latency is the amount of time it takes to respond to a request. There is no way to improve the latency of a satellite connection because every request must travel the equivalent of more than four times around the earth to get a response back to you.
What does this mean in practical terms?
It is adequate for checking email, doing research on basic web pages, checking your flight information and using some social media sites.
Because of the limited bandwidth and high latency, you will NOT be able to do any of the following over satellite internet:
- Stream video, watch movies, view online television or anything like that.
- Download or especially upload large files. If you have an iPhone set to sync to iCloud or a computer that backups up using Carbonite, Dropbox or similar, please turn those services off while staying with us.
- Real-time chat or screenshares. Because of the high-latency, even low-bandwidth applications that require fast response, such as screenshares, webinars and voice chat will not work.
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are great places to unplug and enjoy nature, spend time with family and live a little slower. They are not great places to be online!
Be Prepared for Changing Weather
Weather in Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park can change quickly, regardless of the season. Even during the hottest months of the year, it gets surprisingly cool once the sun goes down. Pack clothing that you can layer, including a sweater or jacket for evenings and mornings, and comfortable shoes for walking and hiking. You may also want to bring a backpack to carry a water bottle, first aid kit, extra pair of socks, hat, etc.
John Muir Lodge Check-In and Area Map
Check-in for John Muir Lodge and Grant Grove Cabins is in John Muir Lodge.
