Maps & Directions

CURRENT CONDITIONS: Please visit the National Park Service website for up-to-date conditions.

Giant Forest accessible from both Park entrances

The entire length of the Generals Highway is now open. Visitors can now reach Grant Grove and Giant Forest via either the Highway 180 entrance, or the Highway 198 entrance.

Expect delays as construction crews continue to work to fully repair the roads. On Generals Highway between Three Rivers (Hwy 198) and Giant Forest there are two traffic lights and some areas that are less than two lanes wide, signed with yield signs. Travel slow and drive defensively.

Due to severe road damage along the Highway 180 corridor between Grant Grove and Cedar Grove, Caltrans does not expect repairs to be completed before the end of the summer season. This means public access is not expected into the Cedar Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park for the 2023 summer season.

For detailed information about what areas of the park are open vs closed, please visit the National Park Service website. For current road conditions, call 559-565-3341, press 1, then 1 again.

What to expect in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks:

Purchase Entrance Pass in Advance - Expect long lines at Park entrance stations between 10 AM - 3 PM. The best times to visit are early in the morning or later in the afternoon. We recommend purchasing your entrance pass in advance on recreation.gov to reduce your time at the entrance booth.
Traffic Delays - Although the Generals Highway is open, there are several areas where storm damaged roads are still under repair and require one-lane traffic control. Visitors should drive cautiously and expect delays.
River Safety - Rivers are extremely dangerous this year as a record snowpack continues to melt at higher elevations. We urge visitors to keep a safe distance from the water's edge as rocks are slippery and most fatalities have been from people unintentionally falling in. Even on the hottest days, the water from the mountain snow melt is frigid cold.
Camping - Camping is limited this year and reservations are required. Please check recreation.gov for availability.
Wildlife and Pets - Wildlife is prevalent throughout the parks, and it is extremely important to keep all food and scented items stored properly or disposed of in bear proof trash bins. Feeding wildlife is not allowed and can make them bold and potentially dangerous to visitors. Pets are not permitted on trails. Visitors should take that into consideration before bringing their pet along for the ride. High temperatures are expected this weekend, and car interiors can get dangerously hot for pets needing to be left behind.
Area Closures - Both the Cedar Grove area in Kings Canyon National Park and the Mineral King area in Sequoia National Park remain closed due to severe road damage from winter storms.

Electric Vehicle Advisory

There are currently no charging stations available in Sequoia and Kings Canyon, so we strongly advise charging your vehicle before heading up the mountain. The nearest electric vehicle charging stations are as follows.

Kings Canyon (via Highway 180)

Wonder Valley: 27 miles
Orange Cove: 37 miles
Sanger: 41 miles

Sequoia (via Highway 198)

Buckeye Lodge, Three Rivers: 23 miles
Visalia: 58 miles

Easy-to-Follow Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park Maps

There are two all-season lodging properties in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks. In Sequoia, Wuksachi Lodge is located at an altitude of 7,200 feet (2200m). In Kings Canyon at Grant Grove, the John Muir Lodge and the nearby Grant Grove Cabins are located at 6,600 feet (2000m).

In the summer months, Cedar Grove Lodge provides accommodation at the base of Kings Canyon at 4,600 feet (1400m) on the eastern end of Highway 180/Kings Canyon Scenic Byway (open May through mid-October).

Road and weather conditions can change quickly and at any time of the year. Before entering the park, all visitors are strongly encouraged to pick up a Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks map and check current road and weather conditions by calling 559-565-3341. Visitor Centers also offer a variety of trails maps and other interpretive literature.

See below for information about driving your own car to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

Don't want to drive? No problem. The Sequoia Shuttle from Visalia to Sequoia has you covered.

Lodging Directions

As a point of reference, our properties are located within driving distance of Fresno Yosemite International Airport:

Grant Grove Cabins: 54 miles (Approximately 1 hour and 14 minutes)
John Muir Lodge: 54.4 miles (Approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes)
Wuksachi Lodge: 76.1 miles (Approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes)
Cedar Grove Lodge: 83 miles (Approximately 1 hour and 59 minutes)

Winter Weather Driving Notes

Be aware of road closures.

These tips will help you prepare for your trip to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks in the winter:

Hwy 198 between Kings Canyon and Sequoia is closed in winter. When the road is closed, you must use the Hwy 198 entrance to get to Wuksachi Lodge.
Driving to John Muir Lodge, Grant Grove Cabins and Cedar Grove Lodge: Use the North/Big Stump Entrance on Hwy 180.
Snow chains are required to be carried in all vehicles during the winter months as they may be needed at any time.
Hwy 180 to Cedar Grove and Cedar Grove Lodge are closed in the winter

More information about current road conditions is available by calling calling 559-565-3341, and also on the National Park Service's website.

Current Road Conditions

Directions to Bearpaw High Sierra Camp

Bearpaw High Sierra Camp is an 11.5-mile hike each way along the High Sierra Trail. Learn more about the trail.

Transportation by Car

Please note: There is no gasoline available in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Fill up in Three Rivers, Clingan's Junction. Contact the front desk for information about facilities in the National Forest that may be open seasonally.

If you drive an electric vehicle, there are charging stations available in Three Rivers. There are currently no charging stations available in Sequoia and Kings Canyon, so we strongly advise charging your vehicle in Three Rivers before heading up the mountain.

For the latest road and weather conditions within Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, please call the 24-Hour Park Information Hotline at 559-565-3341, then press 1-1-1.

For road conditions outside of the park, please call 800-427-7623 or visit these CalTrans webpages:

Vehicle Length Limits and Advisories

Due to narrow, winding, and steep roads in the park, vehicle length limits and advisories are in place for some park roads. These impact vehicles longer than 22 feet. Some restrictions include:

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. When the Generals Highway (Hwy 198) between Kings Canyon and Sequoia is open in the summer, large vehicles are advised to use the Big Stump Entrance.
Vehicles longer than 22 feet (6.7056 meters) are not allowed 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.

Temporary vehicle length limits are also in place:

Due to road construction, vehicles over 22 feet long are prohibited on the Generals Highway between Hospital Rock and Giant Forest. Motorists who drive longer vehicles should use the northern park entrance to Kings Canyon National Park via Highway 180.

Please refer to the National Park Service's website for more information about vehicle length limits and advisories.

National Park Free Entrance Days 2023

On select days of the year, all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone. Mark your calendar for these National Park entrance fee-free dates in 2023!

January 16: Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr.
April 22: First day of National Park Week
August 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
September 23: National Public Lands Day
November 11: Veterans Day

Free Entry for US Military and Veterans!

Veterans and active members of the US armed forces now receive FREE entry to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and most other federal recreation sites!

Active military members can receive a free Military pass by presenting your current US military ID at the entrance.

There is not a pass specifically for Veterans. However, veterans now qualify for free entry into federal parks. Veterans will need to present one of the following forms of ID where entrance fees are collected:

Department of Defense Identification Card (CAC Card)
Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)
Veteran ID Card
Veterans designation on a state-issued US driver's license or identification card

For more information on these offers, please visit usaparkpass.com.

Check-In Area Maps and Instructions

We recommend that you leave your bags in your car until after you check in, as it may be easier to drive to your room.

Other Ways of Getting to and Around Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

Sequoia In-Park Shuttle

Free shuttles are available in the Giant Forest Area of Sequoia National Park and Shuttles from Visalia are available for a Round Trip fee of $20. Shuttle reservations can be made on the Sequoia Shuttle site. Further details and schedules are available on the parks' transit page.

Public Transportation to Sequoia and Kings Canyon

Air: The closest major airports are the Fresno/Yosemite International Airport (FYI), located 53 miles west of Sequoia, and the Visalia Municipal Airport (VIS), located 36 miles west of Sequoia.
Bus: Greyhound serves Visalia and Fresno from many California cities. For schedules and information, call (800) 231-2222.
Train: Amtrak serves Hanford and Fresno, with bus connections to Visalia. For schedules and information, visit Amtrak's website.
Rental Cars: Rental car agencies are located at the Fresno and Visalia airports, and various sites in Visalia and Fresno.
Sequoia Shuttle: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are among the country's largest playgrounds, and enjoying the wilderness has never been easier with the help of the Sequoia Shuttle. Departing from Visalia, CA. the Sequoia Shuttle offers carefree travel to and from the Park... all for $15 round trip. To benefit from the ease and convenience of curbside pick-up, make your reservations as far in advance by calling 1-877-287-4453.