Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks — Generals Highway
Three Rivers, CA Hours and Location

47050 Generals Highway
Three Rivers, CA   93271Driving Directions
Phone: (559)565-3341(559)565-3341 Maps & Directions

https://www.nps.gov/seki/planyou...

National Parks

Operating Hours & Seasons

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

These parks are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Rarely, extreme weather conditions may cause roads into the parks to be closed.

Standard Hours

• Sunday:Open 24 hours
• Monday:Open 24 hours
• Tuesday:Open 24 hours
• Wednesday:Open 24 hours
• Thursday:Open 24 hours
• Friday:Open 24 hours
• Saturday:Open 24 hours

Fees & Passes

Entrance Fees:

• $30.00 - Vehicle Pass
  This pass is valid for 1-7 days and includes everyone traveling in a single vehicle for Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks and Hume Lake District of Sequoia National Forest/Giant Sequoia National Monument. You can purchase this pass in advance at www.yourpassnow.com
• $15.00 - Individual Entry Pass
  This entry fee is for a single person traveling on foot or by bicycle. It is valid for 1-7 days in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks and Hume Lake District of Sequoia National Forest/Giant Sequoia National Monument.
• $15.00 - Non-Commercial Group
  Groups traveling in a bus or vehicle with a capacity of 16 persons or more are charged per person. People 15 years old or younger, drivers hired for transportation only, or anyone with a pass that may be used for park entry is exempt from paying the entrance fee.
• $25.00 - Commercial Group, 1-6 Passenger Capacity
  This entrance fee is for commercial tours of one or more people traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service. This fee is based on the seating capacity of the vehicle and not the actual number of passengers. Passenger ages or entrance passes do not affect the price. The charge for vehicles with a seating capacity of 1-6 passengers is $25 plus $10 per person.
• $75.00 - Commercial Group, 7-15 Passenger Capacity
  This entrance fee is for commercial tours of vehicles with a seating capacity of 7-15 people.
• $100.00 - Commercial Group, 16-25 Passenger Capacity
  This entrance fee is for commercial tours of vehicles with a seating capacity of 16-25 people.
• $200.00 - Commercial group, 26+ Passenger Capacity
  This entrance fee is for commercial tours of vehicles with a seating capacity of 26 or more people.
• $25.00 - Motorcycle Pass
  This pass is valid for 1-7 days and includes everyone traveling on a motorcycle, scooter, or similar motorized vehicle for Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks and Hume Lake District of Sequoia National Forest/Giant Sequoia National Monument. You can purchase this pass in advance at www.yourpassnow.com.

Entrance Passes:

• $50.00 - Sequoia & Kings Canyon Annual Pass
  This pass is valid for Sequoia & Kings national Parks and Hume Lake Ranger District of Sequoia National Forest/Giant Sequoia National Monument for one year from the month of purchase. The pass admits all passengers in a private vehicle and is non-transferable. You can purchase this pass in advance at www.yourpassnow.com.

About

A Land of Giants

This dramatic landscape testifies to nature's size, beauty, and diversity--huge mountains, rugged foothills, deep canyons, vast caverns, and the world's largest trees. These two parks lie side by side in the southern Sierra Nevada east of the San Joaquin Valley. Weather varies a lot by season and elevation, which ranges from 1,370' to 14,494'.

Directions

Two highways enter the parks. Hwy 180 from Fresno leads east to Kings Canyon National Park, then continues 30 miles east to Cedar Grove. Hwy 198 from Visalia leads east to Sequoia National Park via Three Rivers. Inside the parks, Highway 198 becomes the Generals Highway, which connects 198 to 180. Vehicles over 22-feet long should enter the parks via Highway 180. In winter, the Generals Highway between the parks often closes. Chains may be required on park roads. No roads cross these parks east to west.

Visitor Centers

Foothills Visitor Center

In the foothills oaks and chaparral; elevation 1,500 feet (457 m). Focus here is on the Sierran foothills, the most biologically diverse area of these parks. Giant Forest Museum

Housed in a historic market building in the Giant Forest sequoia grove at 6,500 feet (1,980 m) elevation. Learn about sequoia groves and fire. Get park information and browse books in a small bookstore. Kings Canyon Visitor Center

This visitor center is in Grant Grove Village at an elevation of 6,500 feet (1,980 m). Stop here to learn about three magnificent regions in Kings Canyon National Park: giant sequoia groves, the Kings Canyon itself (often called Cedar Grove), and the High Sierra. Watch a 15-minute movie (English/Spanish). A park store sells books, maps, and educational materials. Other services include accessible restrooms, a pay phone, local wilderness permits, and an AED for cardiac emergencies. Lodgepole Visitor Center

In the conifer zone; elevation 6,700 feet (2,040 m). Explore the natural and human history of the southern Sierra Nevada and view a short video, "Bears of the Sierra." Cedar Grove Visitor Center

This visitor center is next to the South Fork of the Kings River in mixed conifer forest at an elevation of 4,600 feet (1,400 m). Learn about the natural and cultural history of the Cedar Grove area. A bookstore offers books, maps,and educational items. Other services include accessible restrooms and a pay phone. Mineral King Ranger Station

In the mixed-conifer forest; elevation 7,600 feet (2,320 m).This small station houses some exhibits on Mineral King's human and natural history. Books, maps, and educational items for sale. Bear canisters available. Pay phone in nearby campground. First aid. Local wilderness permits.

Weather

Because of the extreme elevation range in these parks, weather conditions vary widely between areas. In summer, the sequoia groves have comfortable temperatures and the foothills are hot and dry. Snow lingers on high-mountain passes well into summer. In fall, some areas close or reduce their hours. Winter brings snow to sequoia groves and rain to the foothills. Be prepared for tire chain requirements. Spring is a great time to hike in the foothills and snow begins to melt at higher elevations.

Permits and Reservations Information