SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, Cali. - After being closed for over three months due to severe damage from a series of storms early in the year, the Generals Highway between the Foothills and Giant Forest areas of Sequoia National Park will reopen to public travel on Saturday, July 1. Road construction is still underway along two sections of the highway, and traffic lights will be used to manage one-lane vehicle travel. Visitors are advised that although most park roads are now open, sections damaged by winter storms require caution and reduced speeds until permanent repairs are completed.
This reopening marks quite an accomplishment for the parks and the Federal Highways Administration who have jointly worked to restore public access to the most popular destination in Sequoia National Park during the busiest time of year. Although a great milestone, heavy damage from the winter storms still exists throughout the parks. Roads leading to the Cedar Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park and the Mineral King area of Sequoia National Park remain closed due to significant damage both inside and outside the park boundaries. Several campgrounds will remain closed this summer.
Visitors to the parks should plan ahead and make sure that the areas they hope to see are open and accessible. Information about current conditions and timelines for reopening can be found on the park website at go.nps.gov/SEKIconditions.
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About Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
These two parks, which lie-side-by-side in the southern Sierra Nevada in Central California, serve as a prime example of nature’s size, beauty, and diversity. Nearly 2 million visitors from across the U.S. and the world visit these parks for the world’s largest trees (by volume), grand mountains, rugged foothills, deep canyons, vast caverns, the highest point in the lower 48 states, and more. Learn more at http://www.nps.gov/seki
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service