Kings Canyon National Park Scheduled To Partially Reopen

Parts of Kings Canyon National Park in California were to reopen to the public Monday in the wake of success against the KNP wildfire. However, all developed areas of Sequoia National Park next door remain closed.  

The following areas and services within Kings Canyon and Sequoia were to reopen to the public: 

• Big Stump Entrance Station on Highway 180 
• The majority of Grant Grove, including the General Grant Tree 

• Kings Canyon Visitor Center Information Desk (exhibits, shop, and theater remain closed) 
• Cedar Grove 
• Kings Canyon Wilderness except for Redwood Canyon 
• Areas east of the Great Western Divide in the Sequoia National Park Wilderness 
• South Fork in the Sequoia National Park Wilderness 

 The following areas and services within Kings Canyon National Park were to remain closed: 

• All areas south of the intersection between Highway 180 and the Generals Highway, including Redwood Canyon 
• All Grant Grove concessions including restaurant, market, lodging, and gift shop 
• All NPS campgrounds in Cedar Grove and Grant Grove 
• Park Ridge Trail  
• Big Stump Picnic Area 

There have been impacts on the water systems in Kings Canyon National Park, a park release said. There will be no running water available in the park until water systems are restored—currently estimated for late October. Visitors must bring enough water with them to meet their needs during their visit. Furthermore, all restroom facilities with plumbing will also be closed until water utilities are restored. Portable restrooms will be provided where no vault toilets are available.   

Wilderness permits are free by self-issue at this time of year. Bear in mind that trails in the Lodgepole, Middle Fork, and Mineral King areas of Sequoia National Park remain closed. Wilderness travelers will not be able to exit via these trailheads. 

For updated information about closures on the Sequoia National Forest, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/sequoia/home  

There is no timeframe in place for reopening developed areas of Sequoia National Park. Until the area is stable enough to assess safely, not enough is known to provide even an estimate. As park staff gain access and assess, a staged reopening is likely, based on different areas having sustained different levels of damage.   

“We are acutely aware that local communities rely on national park visitors to support their economies and countless livelihoods. When the parks are closed, this leaves many without or with a drastically reduced source of income,” said Superintendent Clay Jordan. “Not only is providing access to public land an essential part of the NPS mission, we are also members of our local communities, and personally invested in their wellbeing. We are extremely motivated to mitigate this crisis and reopen the parks as soon as it is possible to do so responsibly.”   

Wildfires can make the landscape more susceptible to landslides, rock fall, and slope run-off, especially during precipitation events. Slope stabilization and hazard tree mitigation along the Generals Highway are of particular concern. Some losses of NPS infrastructure may require a longer timeline for stabilization and repair to support safe, sanitary public access. 

As the containment percentage on the KNP Complex continues to climb, the parks are formulating a plan for recovery. A special Burned Area Emergency Response team will be arriving this week to work with park staff in conducting a damage assessment of natural and cultural resources and park infrastructure affected by the fire.   

By mid-November, park leadership expects to have a better understanding of what actions will be required before closed sections of the parks can be reopened and hopes to establish projected timeframes for reopening. No major reopening in Sequoia National Park is expected before December 2021, and fire impacts, combined with winter weather effects, may delay reopening well beyond that time.