A winter of heavy snowfall has left the Lodgepole Campground at Sequoia National Park in California buried under so much snow that park staff don't expect it to open for the season before May 22, and then not completely.

Due to the heavy snowpack and the abundance of hazard trees, the campground closure includes reservations, walk-ups, and the self-registration system that usually begins in April.

Deep snow at Lodgepole Campground in Sequoia National Park means a delayed spring opening for the popular campground/NPS

During the drought years, the National Park Service began opening the campgrounds earlier and earlier in the spring. This year, due to snowpack, the park must return to its regular later opening dates. Recent snow surveys show that this past winter's snowfall at Sequoia and Kings Canyon was 153 percent of normal. There were areas that still had 6-10 feet of snow on the ground in early April.

Another result of the recent drought is the large number of hazard trees in the campgrounds and parking areas that usually open in April or early May. In an abundance of caution for park visitors, crews are working to address these tree hazards before facilities open for the season. Cutting and clearing these trees is one of the highest priorities for crews at Sequoia and Kings Canyon this spring, as conditions allow.

Park staff are planning to partially open Lodgepole Campground around May 22, by reservation only, but anticipate much of the campground will remain closed through the Memorial Day Weekend.

Potwisha Campground and Buckeye Campground in the foothills area of Sequoia National Park are open. These campgrounds have a limited capacity, so plan accordingly. Many of the local foothill communities near the park have commercial campgrounds that may have availability this spring.