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Fire Danger is HIGH in the Parks - Observe Current Fire Restrictions
On Saturday, July 14, 2012, fire restrictions began and will continue until further notice. Follow link to read the full news release for info on wood, BBQ, & propane fires, and smoking in campgrounds, picnic, & wilderness areas below 6,000 ft. More »
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Road Construction Delays in Sequoia NP thru end of November 2012 (if entering/exiting Hwy 198)
Expect 20-minute to 1-hour delays on weekdays and 20-minute delays on weekends along main road through parks. Weeknight closures with one pass through the construction zone at 11:30 p.m. See link to schedule and map or call 559-565-3341 (press 1, 1, 1,). More »
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22-foot Vehicle Length Limit in Sequoia NP thru end of November 2012 (if entering/exiting Hwy 198)
Planning to see the "Big Trees" in Sequoia National Park? If you enter/exit via Hwy. 198, all vehicles must be less than 22 feet in length. Even vehicles towing trailers must be less than 22 feet in combined length. Longer vehicles must enter at Hwy. 180. More »
Weather
Please read important park alerts by clicking the red tab above before you come to the parks. THE FOOTHILLS (chaparral shrubs and oak woodlands), below ~4,000':
*(Fahrenheit over Celsius) THE MIDDLE ELEVATIONS (the conifer forest belt, including giant sequoia groves), ~4,000' to 7,000': In fall and winter, Lodgepole Campground is generally 10-15 degrees F (6-9°C) colder than the average middle-elevation temperature shown on the chart. Summer temperatures in Cedar Grove are generally hotter than the average for the middle elevations, and cooler than the foothills. Mid-summer temperatures may reach the 90°s (35-40°C). Cedar Grove is closed in the winter due to frequent rockfalls on the road.
*(Fahrenheit over Celsius) Click National Weather Service: Parks of the Southern Sierra for a written current forecast for Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite national parks. For recordings of current park weather and road conditions, call 559-565-3341. For the current view west from the Giant Forest sequoia grove, click Giant Forest Webcam. For California road conditions, click Caltrans or call 1-800-427-7623. Interested in the snowpack and water resources of the Sierra Nevada? Click here. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did You Know?
Fire is an essential part of Sierra forest ecology. Plants and animals have adapted to the periodic, low-intensity fires that naturally occur here. In fact, sequoias need fire to open their cones and release the seeds, and to leave cleared beds of ash where they sprout and grow best.