National Parks Atlas
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01 · United States · California

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

The largest tree on Earth stands beside a paved path, but the road there is too narrow for RVs.

Photo: Davide D'Amico from London, United Kingdom ↗ · CC BY-SA 2.0 ↗

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks at a glance · PDF, 2 pages

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks: landscape and origins

The General Sherman Tree is the largest tree on Earth by volume: 83.8 metres (275 ft) tall, 31.1 metres (102 ft) around at the base and about 1,487 cubic metres (52,500 cu ft) of wood.

According to the park, the trunk of the General Sherman alone weighs just under 1,400 tonnes. Its largest branch is 2.1 metres (6.9 ft) in diameter, and the crown averages 32.5 metres (107 ft) across. A fence protects the shallow roots; you stay on the paved path.

When the KNP Complex Fire moved towards the Giant Forest in 2021, firefighters wrapped the base of the trunk in protective foil. Because earlier prescribed burns had thinned the forest, the fire burned less intensely there; this let crews get close and cut firebreaks so it did not push deeper into the Giant Forest.

Giant sequoias depend on fire, but severe fires in recent years have damaged or killed many large trees. The park therefore relies on prescribed burns that thin the forest regularly.

National Park Service: General Sherman Tree ↗

The park in numbers

Height of General Sherman
83.8 metres (275 ft)
Circumference at the base
31.1 metres (102 ft)
Volume
about 1,487 m³ (52,500 cu ft)
Weight of the trunk
just under 1,400 tonnes
First large branch
at 39.6 metres (130 ft)
National park since
25 September 1890

Today in the park

What the National Park Service is reporting right now

  • 2 info

Alerts and road conditions on nps.gov ↗

Fetched automatically: 03 Oct 2026 14:06 UTC.

Original National Park Service alerts. The date is the last update of the alert, not a validity period. Closures can change within hours.

Crowds through the year

July is the busiest month, February the quietest

About 6.4 times as many people visit in July as in February.

Tap a month for the number

Visits per month, median of 2023–2025. In 2025 the park recorded 2.16 million visits.

Source: National Park Service, Visitor Use Statistics ↗

Visiting Sequoia and Kings Canyon: overview

01

Two parks in one visit

The National Park Service manages Sequoia and Kings Canyon as a single unit. Sequoia includes the foothills, the Giant Forest with the General Sherman Tree, Lodgepole, Wuksachi and Mineral King. Kings Canyon includes Grant Grove with the General Grant Tree and the valley of Cedar Grove.

National Park Service: basic information ↗

02

Always open, no reservation

The parks are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. There is no entry reservation. Winter storms occasionally close the access roads until they are cleared.

National Park Service: basic information ↗

03

National forest in between

If you drive the Generals Highway between the two parks, you cross land of Sequoia National Forest, which is managed by a different agency. Some rules, for example for dogs, are different there.

National Park Service: basic information ↗

04

No signal past the entrance

About five minutes past the entrance you lose mobile reception. There is signal only around the Kings Canyon Visitor Center, the Foothills Visitor Center and Lodgepole Village, and even there not with every network. The park recommends printed maps for the drive.

National Park Service: frequently asked questions ↗

Field book 03 · TicketsAll amounts in US dollars, taken from the National Park Service on 21 September 2026.Field book 01 · WhenA free shuttle runs in summer, but only in the Sequoia part.Field book 02 · Getting thereFrom the south via Visalia, from the west via Fresno.

02 · Places

Map and places in the parks

Eighteen points from the foothills to the valley of the Kings River.

Photo: Jim Bahn ↗ · CC BY 2.0 ↗

Place in the park

General Sherman Tree

The largest tree on Earth by volume, at the end of a short, paved path.

Coordinates
36.581645, −118.751443
Main path
0.8 km (0.5 mi), paved, with steps, uphill on the way back
Parking
main car park on Wolverton Road
Accessible
small car park on the Generals Highway with a disability placard
In winter
main car park closed, bring traction devices for your shoes
Height
83.8 m (275 ft)

National Park Service: General Sherman Tree ↗

Steep staircase with railings on the granite dome of Moro Rock in Sequoia National Park, with visitors on it
Photo: Tuxyso ↗ · CC BY-SA 3.0 ↗

Place in the park

Moro Rock

A granite dome with a staircase, and the widest view in the Giant Forest.

Coordinates
36.544090, −118.765109
Climb
staircase, about 90 metres (300 ft) of ascent
View
of the Great Western Divide
Car park
3.2 km (2 mi) from the Generals Highway
In summer
shuttle from the Giant Forest Museum
Not with
ice or snow on the steps

National Park Service: Giant Forest day hikes ↗

A white car drives through the opening cut into the fallen Tunnel Log in Sequoia National Park
Photo: Pavel Špindler ↗ · CC BY 3.0 ↗

Place in the park

Crescent Meadow Road and Tunnel Log

The spur road to Moro Rock, Tunnel Log and Crescent Meadow: narrow, and car-free at summer weekends.

Coordinates
36.552539, −118.761383 (Tunnel Log)
Banned
single vehicles over 6.7 m (22 ft) and vehicles with trailers
In summer
closed to private cars at weekends and on holidays
Alternative
shuttle from the Giant Forest Museum
In winter
closed with the first snow, usually until late May

National Park Service: RVs and oversized vehicles ↗

The massive, fire-scarred base of the General Grant Tree in Grant Grove, Kings Canyon National Park
Photo: Bradluke22 ↗ · Public domain ↗

Place in the park

Grant Grove and General Grant Tree

The original General Grant National Park of 1890, with the second-largest tree on Earth.

Coordinates
36.748056, −118.971111
Significance
the Nation's Christmas Tree
Elevation
2,008 m (6,588 ft)
Access
Big Stump Entrance, Highway 180 from Fresno
From Ash Mountain
two hours more driving, 87 km (54 mi)
Where to stay
John Muir Lodge, Grant Grove Cabins

National Park Service: Grant Grove ↗

Golden Zumwalt Meadow in Kings Canyon National Park in front of wooded slopes and pale granite walls
Photo: Schwaltz ↗ · CC BY-SA 3.0 ↗

Place in the park

Cedar Grove and Zumwalt Meadow

The glacial valley that gave Kings Canyon its name, and one of the quietest parts of the parks.

Coordinates
36.791612, −118.596119 (Zumwalt Meadow)
Open
usually May to early or mid-November
From Big Stump
53 km (33 mi), about an hour
Elevation
1,400 m (4,600 ft), warmer in summer than the sequoia groves
Highlights
granite walls, waterfalls, Kings River
Fuel
nearest petrol station at Hume Lake, 44 km (27 mi)

National Park Service: Cedar Grove ↗

Map

18 places on the map

Eighteen points from the foothills to the valley of the Kings River.

Open map3D terrain · details and photos for every place
  • Viewpoints1
  • Mountains & rock2
  • Water2
  • Arrival4
  • Where to stay1
  • History1
  • Nature7

03 · Out and about

Hikes & routes: General Sherman, Moro Rock and the big trees

The best-known sights lie along short, often paved paths.

Photo: Tuxyso ↗ · CC BY-SA 3.0 ↗

„There is no petrol station, no EV charger and hardly any mobile reception in the park, and the entrance stations do not accept cash.“

Sequoia National Park · view from Moro Rock

Hikes & routes: General Sherman, Moro Rock and the big trees

General Sherman Tree

From the main car park on Wolverton Road, a paved path of 0.8 kilometres (0.5 mi) with some steps leads down to the tree; the way back is uphill. If you have a disability placard, park at the small car park on the Generals Highway and reach the tree on a wheelchair-accessible path.

National Park Service: General Sherman Tree ↗

Congress Trail: currently no loop

The paved loop of about three kilometres (two miles) starts at the Sherman Tree. Because of construction work, one section is closed until probably the end of September 2026; instead of the loop, you walk out and back.

National Park Service: Giant Forest day hikes ↗

General Grant Tree

The second-largest tree on Earth stands in Grant Grove, Kings Canyon. A paved loop of half a kilometre (0.3 mi) leads to it and to other named trees.

National Park Service: giant sequoias ↗

Crystal Cave not until 2027

The marble cave can be seen only on a guided tour; tickets are sold online only, at least 36 hours in advance. The 2026 season has ended, and tours are expected to restart in late spring 2027.

National Park Service: Crystal Cave ↗

Offer photo: Guided walk to the General Sherman Tree and along the Congress Trail

Big Trees Tours · GetYourGuide

Guided walk to the General Sherman Tree and along the Congress Trail

Three hours with a wildlife biologist as your guide: on a paved path to the largest tree on Earth and on into the Giant Forest, with no more than 14 guests.

  • 3 hours
  • No more than 14 guests
  • Guide: wildlife biologist
  • Starts at the Sherman car park

Departure At the start of the Sherman Tree Trail, next to the toilets and shuttle stop in the upper Sherman car park; the tour also ends there.

About 4.8 kilometres (3 mi) at more than 1,800 metres (5,900 ft), with two climbs of about 90 metres (300 ft) each. The tour runs in all weather; in case of danger or a park closure, the provider cancels and refunds. Pets are not allowed, service dogs are. The meeting point is inside the park, so you will have to pay the entrance fee anyway. For people without US residency that means $35 for the vehicle plus $100 per person aged 16 or over, unless you have an annual pass; the park service also charges the non-resident fee on commercial tours.

View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 21 Sep 2026

Provider's product photo · GetYourGuide

Offer photo: Winter hike in the Giant Forest with a naturalist

Sequoia Parks Conservancy · GetYourGuide

Winter hike in the Giant Forest with a naturalist

Two hours with a naturalist from the park partner through the snowy Giant Forest, on foot or on snowshoes, which are provided.

  • 2 hours
  • Snowshoes provided
  • Provider: park partner
  • Starts at the Giant Forest Museum

Departure In front of the Giant Forest Museum by the Sentinel Tree.

Included: guide, snowshoes or traction devices if needed, and trekking poles. Park entrance is explicitly not included. For people without US residency that means $35 for the vehicle plus $100 per person aged 16 or over, unless you have an annual pass; the park service also charges the non-resident fee on commercial tours. Cancellation up to 24 hours before; in extreme weather or if roads are closed, the provider cancels and refunds.

View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 21 Sep 2026

Provider's product photo · GetYourGuide

Offer photo: Sequoia National Park: one hour of stargazing

Big Trees Tours · Stargazing · 1 hour

Sequoia National Park: one hour of stargazing

Sit or stand and look up: the guide uses a laser pointer to show constellations and planets and explains what different cultures see in them and what science knows about them today. No hike, and the meeting point is inside the park, so the drive home afterwards stays short.

  • 1 hour
  • No hike
  • Meeting point in the park
  • English-speaking guide

Departure Overflow car park opposite Potwisha Campground on the Generals Highway, according to the provider about 10 minutes past the entrance at Three Rivers; on some dates the General Sherman Tree car park instead. There is no map point for the meeting place and no mobile signal there.

According to the list of services, the tour, star charts, models of the solar system and of Saturn, hand warmers and, on request, seating are included; transport and materials to take home are not. The page does not mention park admission. The meeting point is inside the park, so admission has to be paid anyway. For people who are not US residents that is $35 per vehicle plus $100 per person aged 16 and over, unless they hold an annual pass; the park authority also charges the surcharge on commercial tours. What you see depends on the weather, the moon and wildfire smoke. Bring warm clothes and a torch; not for children under 2 years. Cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.

View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 29 Sep 2026

Provider's product photo · GetYourGuide

Ad · we may earn a commission if you book through this partner link. Offer details checked 29 Sep 2026. See official ticket information.

Nature and history

Up to 3,400 years old

Giant sequoias grow only at mid elevations on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada. They are not the oldest trees in the world, but they live up to 3,400 years.

National Park Service: giant sequoias ↗

Fire is part of the cycle

The bark grows up to 46 centimetres (18 in) thick and protects against the heat. The cones often stay closed for 20 years until fire opens them; the seeds germinate only on the bare soil a fire leaves behind.

National Park Service: giant sequoias ↗

The second national park in the US

On 25 September 1890, Sequoia was established as the second national park in the United States, and the first created to protect a living organism. A week later came General Grant National Park, which became part of the new Kings Canyon National Park in 1940.

National Park Service: history and culture ↗

The first rangers were soldiers

From 1891 to 1913, cavalry troops protected the parks. These Buffalo Soldiers were led by Charles Young, who in 1903 became the first Black military superintendent. The parks are the homeland of the Mono, Yokuts, Tübatulabal, Paiute and Western Shoshone.

National Park Service: history and culture ↗

From foothills to high mountains

The parks span almost 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) of elevation and are recognised as an international biosphere reserve. There are more than 1,300 native plant species, almost 300 native animal species and more than 200 caves.

National Park Service: nature ↗

Field book 04 · Where to stayFour lodges, fourteen campgrounds, and everything booked up early.Field book 05 · RulesThree rules international visitors often do not expect.

04 · Before you go

Park film and places nearby

Photo: Davide D'Amico from London, United Kingdom ↗ · CC BY-SA 2.0 ↗

Film by the park partner

Giants of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park

Seven and a half minutes on the giant sequoias from the Sequoia Parks Conservancy, the park's non-profit partner, which also runs the tours of Crystal Cave. The park authority itself publishes its films only on nps.gov. In English.

Source: Sequoia Parks Conservancy · View channel ↗

Around the park

Cedar Grove: the real Kings Canyon

The glacial valley with granite walls, waterfalls and the Kings River lies 53 kilometres (33 mi) past the Big Stump Entrance, about an hour's drive. It is one of the quietest parts of the parks and is usually accessible from May to mid-November.

National Park Service: Cedar Grove ↗

You cannot see Mount Whitney from here

Mount Whitney lies on the eastern crest of the Sierra and cannot be seen from any park road, because the peaks of the Great Western Divide stand in front of it. The best view is from the Owens Valley east of the mountains.

National Park Service: frequently asked questions ↗

Mineral King: for the patient only

The high southern part of the park has its own extremely narrow, partly unpaved road from Three Rivers. It is open from late May to late October; RVs and trailers are advised not to use it.

National Park Service: roads and opening times ↗

Field book 07 · Sources22 sources, checked 21 Sep 2026

Field book · Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

checked 21 Sep 2026

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks at a glance · PDF, 2 pages ↓

00My visit

Nothing saved yet. Every place card has a pin, and so does every place on the Map. What you save collects here, with days, notes and a preview you can share.

01Best time to visit: season, shuttle and waiting times

A free shuttle runs in summer, but only in the Sequoia part.

Shuttle in summer only

In 2026 the free shuttle ran from 22 May to 7 September on four routes between the Giant Forest Museum, General Sherman Tree, Moro Rock, Crescent Meadow, Lodgepole, Wuksachi and Wolverton. In winter it runs only on a few holidays. There is no shuttle in Kings Canyon.

National Park Service: shuttles in the park ↗

Full from mid-morning

The car parks at the Giant Forest Museum and the General Sherman Tree are usually full from mid-morning. There are large car parks at Wolverton and Lodgepole Campground; in summer the shuttle leaves from there.

National Park Service: shuttles in the park ↗

Up to two hours at the entrance

In the busy season (spring break, Memorial Day, June to August, Thanksgiving and Christmas) waiting times at both entrances can reach one to two hours. The park advises arriving on a weekday and before 8:00.

National Park Service: the busy season ↗

In winter the link road is closed

From the Friday after New Year to the third Friday in March, the Generals Highway between Lodgepole and Grant Grove is not ploughed and is often closed. The road to Cedar Grove is usually open only from the fourth Friday in April to mid-November.

National Park Service: roads and opening times ↗

Snow chains, even for 4WD

Once there is snow, chains can become mandatory, usually from late autumn into spring, and also for four-wheel-drive vehicles. After a storm, chain requirements can stay in place for days.

National Park Service: Sequoia National Park ↗

Climate through the year

Weather and climate in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

Best months by the climate data: May and June and September and October. Average daytime highs of 19 to 26 °C, lows of 5 to 11 °C, 4 to 23 mm of precipitation a month. The wettest month is December (90 mm), the driest August (3 mm).

Climate chart in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National ParksAverage daily highs from 8 °C to 30 °C, lows from −2 °C to 15 °C; monthly precipitation from 3 mm to 90 mm.
All monthly values as a table
Monthly averages 2001–2020, NASA POWER model
MonthHigh °CLow °CPrecipitation mm
January9.2−1.782
February9.1−1.874
March11.7−0.268
April14.31.446
May19.45.422
June25.810.44
July30.015.25
August29.414.63
September26.211.14
October20.25.923
November13.91.643
December8.4−1.990
Year464

Modelled values, not a weather station: NASA POWER (MERRA-2) for a grid cell of about 55 × 55 km around the map point General Sherman Tree (36.58° N, 118.75° W), with an average cell elevation of about 1,750 m. Averages for 2001–2020. Higher ground and valleys can differ markedly.

Source: NASA POWER, climatology 2001–2020 ↗ · retrieved 3 Oct 2026

02How to get there: two entrances and a road too narrow for RVs

From the south via Visalia, from the west via Fresno.

Two entrances, two highways

Highway 198 leads via Visalia and Three Rivers to Sequoia's Ash Mountain Entrance, Highway 180 via Fresno to the Big Stump Entrance of Kings Canyon. No road crosses the Sierra Nevada, so there is no access from the east.

National Park Service: directions and transportation ↗

Length limits on the Generals Highway

Between the Foothills Visitor Center and Potwisha Campground, vehicles over 7.3 metres (24 ft) are advised not to travel; between Potwisha and the Giant Forest Museum, vehicles over 6.7 metres (22 ft). Single vehicles over 12.2 metres (40 ft) are banned on this stretch, tow trucks included.

National Park Service: RVs and oversized vehicles ↗

By RV via Fresno

The park recommends the Big Stump Entrance on Highway 180 for long vehicles: it is straighter, less steep and wider. The stretch of about 26 kilometres (16 mi) from the south dates from the early 1920s and has many hairpin bends.

National Park Service: RVs and oversized vehicles ↗

Fill up before the park

There is no petrol station, no EV charger and no garage in the park. Fuel is available in the national forest at Hume Lake (all year) and Stony Creek (summer only).

National Park Service: roads and opening times ↗

Do not follow your satnav blindly

Online maps sometimes route you onto remote dirt roads that bypass the entrances. The park advises taking Highway 198 or 180 and switching off the “avoid toll roads” option.

National Park Service: directions and transportation ↗

Airports

From Fresno Yosemite airport it is about 1¼ hours to the Kings Canyon entrance and 1¾ hours to the Sequoia entrance, from Visalia airport about an hour to Sequoia. From there you continue by hire car.

National Park Service: directions and transportation ↗

Parking in the busy season: full as early as 10:00

At peak times (spring break, summer, long holiday weekends, Thanksgiving week and Christmas week) the car parks at the Giant Forest Museum and the General Sherman Tree can be full as early as 10:00. The park then advises driving on and parking at Wolverton, Lodgepole or Wuksachi. Arriving before 8:00 helps avoid long queues.

National Park Service: the busy season ↗

Parking not needed: shuttle from Visalia and Three Rivers

The Visalia-Sequoia Shuttle links Visalia and Three Rivers with the Giant Forest Museum; it requires an advance reservation and a fee. Arriving this way without a car, however, you cannot reach Kings Canyon or the trailheads north of Wuksachi Lodge from inside the park.

National Park Service: shuttles in the park ↗

Sequoia Sightseeing Tours · Small group · from Three Rivers

From Three Rivers: small-group day tour of Sequoia National Park

From the town just outside the southern entrance by minibus into the park: General Sherman Tree, Tunnel Log and Crescent Meadow, plus lesser-known spots chosen by the guides and a picnic by a river or meadow. Not a hiking tour; at the stops you only walk short distances.

Departure Museum car park in the centre of Three Rivers, opposite the Riverview Restaurant (wooden Paul Bunyan sculpture in front); white minibus with the company logo, departure 08:00. The tour ends there.

According to the list of services, lunch (sandwich of your choice, to be specified 24 hours in advance), snacks, guide, a giant sequoia seedling kit and, if needed, traction spikes for your shoes are included. Park admission is only included for US residents with proof; the list excludes the 'entrance fee for non-US citizens (aged 16 and over)', while the notes refer to the non-resident surcharge payable on the day of the tour. According to the park authority that is $100 per person aged 16 and over, unless they hold an annual pass; check with the provider beforehand whether further admission is due. Contradiction disclosed: the description says 6 hours, the key facts 7 hours. From age 8; with fewer than 3 participants the provider cancels by 20:00 the evening before and refunds. Cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.

View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 29 Sep 2026

Ad · we may earn a commission if you book through this partner link. Offer details checked 29 Sep 2026. See official ticket information.

03Tickets & entrance fees: $35 per car, $100 per non-resident

All amounts in US dollars, taken from the National Park Service on 21 September 2026.

Check official fees ↗

$100 extra for every visitor without US residency

Every person aged 16 or over who does not live in the United States pays $100 on top of the standard entrance fee, unless they enter with an annual pass or an America the Beautiful pass. This also applies in tour groups. Two adults in a car therefore pay $235.

National Park Service: fees and passes ↗

The standard entrance fee

A private vehicle with all its occupants costs $35 and is valid for one to seven days, a motorcycle $30, one person on foot or by bike $20. Children under 16 pay nothing. The pass covers both parks and the Hume Lake District of the neighbouring national forest.

National Park Service: fees and passes ↗

Card payment only at the entrance

The entrance stations do not take cash, only credit and debit cards and Apple, Google or Samsung Pay. If you want to pay cash, buy the vehicle pass in advance in a Sequoia Parks Conservancy shop, for example at the Foothills Visitor Center.

National Park Service: fees and passes ↗

Annual park pass for US residents only

The $70 annual pass for these parks is reserved for US citizens and residents. For international visitors, the option is the $250 non-resident America the Beautiful pass: it is valid for one year in federal parks and replaces the non-resident fee.

National Park Service: fees and passes ↗

Also due on a booked tour

The non-resident fee explicitly also applies to people without US residency who enter as part of a commercial tour group. Operators are expected to know how many non-resident guests they have before entry and declare them at the booth; since June 2026 they can prepay entrance and non-resident fees with a Commercial Site Pass on Recreation.gov. Whether an operator does so rarely appears in its list of inclusions, so ask before you book.

NPS: non-resident fee on commercial tours ↗

The $250 pass also works in a tour group

The non-resident America the Beautiful pass does not only waive the fee in your own vehicle: in a commercial tour group it covers the pass holder and three other people aged 16 or over. The same applies to the entrance fee, which is charged per person on commercial tours. As proof of US residency, the park service accepts a US passport, a state driver's licence or state ID, and a Green Card; anyone aged 15 or under pays neither entrance nor non-resident fee.

NPS: non-resident fee on commercial tours ↗

Buy online in advance

You can buy your entrance pass in advance on recreation.gov and save time at the gate. The park service's fee-free days apply only to US citizens and residents.

National Park Service: fees and passes ↗

04Where to stay: lodges and campgrounds in and near the park

Four lodges, fourteen campgrounds, and everything booked up early.

Four lodges, booked up early

There are four lodges in the park. In the busy season they are often full; the park advises booking early.

National Park Service: frequently asked questions ↗

Wuksachi Lodge near the Giant Forest

The lodge closest to the Giant Forest has more than 100 rooms. The Peaks restaurant requires a reservation; there is also pizza and takeaway food.

National Park Service: Giant Forest and Lodgepole ↗

John Muir Lodge in Grant Grove

The seasonal lodge in Grant Grove Village has 36 rooms; next to it are the Grant Grove Cabins, with wooden cabins and tent cabins.

National Park Service: Grant Grove ↗

Camping by reservation only

Campgrounds are booked on recreation.gov. Buckeye Flat and Dorst Creek are closed in 2026, South Fork indefinitely after flooding.

National Park Service: current conditions ↗

05Rules: bears, rivers and what is banned

Three rules international visitors often do not expect.

No bear spray

Weapons are banned in the park, and that explicitly includes bear spray, as well as air guns, bows and slingshots. Several hundred black bears live in the parks, but no grizzlies.

National Park Service: frequently asked questions ↗

Never leave food in the car

Bears break into cars when they smell food. Food and anything scented (soap, cosmetics, candles) belongs in the metal lockers at car parks and campgrounds, never in the car overnight.

National Park Service: Giant Forest and Lodgepole ↗

Rivers are the greatest danger

Drowning is the most common cause of death in the parks. The water is cold and fast, the rocks along the bank are slippery, and the ground at the water's edge can give way. The park advises viewing the rivers from a distance.

National Park Service: current conditions ↗

Poor air in summer

Warm afternoon winds carry ozone from the Central Valley into the mountains. From May to October, levels in the late afternoon sometimes reach unhealthy values; at times the parks have some of the worst air in the entire national park system.

National Park Service: frequently asked questions ↗

No dogs on trails

Pets are not allowed on any trail and must always be on a leash in developed areas.

National Park Service: the busy season ↗

06Frequently asked questions: Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

How much do foreign visitors pay to enter Sequoia National Park?

A private vehicle with all its occupants costs $35 for up to seven days. On top of that, every person aged 16 or over without US residency pays a non-resident fee of $100. Two adults in a car therefore pay $235. With the $250 non-resident America the Beautiful pass, the extra fee does not apply.

National Park Service: fees and passes ↗

Can I pay cash at the entrance?

No. The entrance stations take only cards and mobile payment. Cash works only in advance, in the Sequoia Parks Conservancy shops, for example at the Foothills Visitor Center.

National Park Service: fees and passes ↗

Does one ticket cover Sequoia and Kings Canyon?

Yes. The pass covers both parks and the Hume Lake District of the neighbouring national forest.

National Park Service: fees and passes ↗

Can I drive an RV to the General Sherman Tree?

Not via the South Entrance: between Potwisha and the Giant Forest Museum, vehicles from 6.7 metres (22 ft) are advised not to travel, and single vehicles over 12.2 metres (40 ft) are banned. The park recommends the Big Stump Entrance on Highway 180 for long vehicles. At the Sherman Tree there are RV spaces in the main car park.

National Park Service: RVs and oversized vehicles ↗

Is there a petrol station in Sequoia National Park?

No, there is neither a petrol station nor an EV charger. Fuel is available in the national forest at Hume Lake (all year) and Stony Creek (summer only). It is best to arrive with a full tank.

National Park Service: roads and opening times ↗

How long does it take to drive through the park?

For the Generals Highway alone, from the south to the north entrance, the park estimates at least two hours of pure driving time. If you want to go to Cedar Grove or Mineral King, you need much longer.

National Park Service: frequently asked questions ↗

Can I use the America the Beautiful pass at Sequoia and Kings Canyon?

Yes. The $250 non-resident America the Beautiful pass is valid for one year in federal parks, including Sequoia and Kings Canyon, and replaces the $100 non-resident fee.

National Park Service: fees and passes ↗

Do I need a reservation to visit Sequoia National Park?

No. There is no entry reservation, and the parks are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Campgrounds, however, are booked on recreation.gov, and the lodges are often full in the busy season.

National Park Service: basic information ↗

07Sources and updates

Every detail on this page links to the park authority's own page.

  1. National Park Service: Sequoia & Kings Canyon ↗
  2. National Park Service: fees and passes ↗
  3. National Park Service: basic information ↗
  4. National Park Service: directions and transportation ↗
  5. National Park Service: roads and opening times ↗
  6. National Park Service: RVs and oversized vehicles ↗
  7. National Park Service: shuttles in the park ↗
  8. National Park Service: the busy season ↗
  9. National Park Service: current conditions ↗
  10. National Park Service: Giant Forest and Lodgepole ↗
  11. National Park Service: Giant Forest day hikes ↗
  12. National Park Service: General Sherman Tree ↗
  13. National Park Service: giant sequoias ↗
  14. National Park Service: Crystal Cave ↗
  15. National Park Service: Grant Grove ↗
  16. National Park Service: Cedar Grove ↗
  17. National Park Service: Kings Canyon National Park ↗
  18. National Park Service: Sequoia National Park ↗
  19. National Park Service: nature ↗
  20. National Park Service: history and culture ↗
  21. National Park Service: frequently asked questions ↗
  22. NPS: non-resident fee on commercial tours ↗

How current is this information?

Researched 21 Sep 2026. Not a live status. Dates apply only to the year stated. A successful automatic fetch is not an editorial confirmation; outdated automatic values are hidden and replaced by the source link.

Current information from the park ↗

Image and map credits

Location sources: The National Park Service does not publish coordinates for these places. Each point was looked up individually in OpenStreetMap; the evidence is shown at each point. Markers do not imply that access is permitted. Base map © OpenStreetMap contributors. Coastlines of the chapter map: Natural Earth.

End of the field book · Park authority ↗