Kings Canyon National Park Alerts and Current Conditions

Cover of Brian Russ's guide to Kings Canyon National Park

Last checked: October 25, 2026. This page tracks what's closed, what's changed, and what's coming up at Kings Canyon National Park, California, from the alerts, news releases, conditions, and hours pages it shares with Sequoia National Park. I check it daily and rewrite it when the parks post something new. Cedar Grove is closing for the season this week, and the first snow can come in late October, so check the park's own alerts the morning you go.

Current alerts

  • Prescribed burn closures in Grant Grove. Firefighters started a prescribed burn of about 482 acres in the Grant Grove area, near the General Grant Tree, beginning October 17. Areas and trails around the burn were to stay closed through at least Saturday, October 24, and will reopen once they're cleared of hazards. Smoke and flame may still be visible; the park says that's normal. Check the closure map before you walk. (NPS map; NPS)
  • Weekday delays on the Generals Highway. Hazard-tree removal between Highway 180 and Giant Forest causes delays of up to 30 minutes at each work site, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. There are no delays on federal holidays. This is the road between Grant Grove and Sequoia's Giant Forest. (NPS)
  • Stage 1 fire restrictions. Wood and charcoal fires are banned at low-elevation campgrounds and picnic areas, smoking is restricted below 6,000 feet, and more rules apply. (NPS)
  • In Sequoia, for a combined trip: Mineral King Road has daytime closures and delays for construction. (NPS)

Open and closed right now

  • The parks are open 24 hours a day, all year, though some roads close in winter. Entrance is $35 per private vehicle, valid for one to seven days in both Sequoia and Kings Canyon. Non-US residents 16 and older pay an extra $100 unless they enter with an annual or America the Beautiful pass. (NPS)
  • Kings Canyon Visitor Center (Grant Grove): open daily, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., on its fall schedule.
  • Cedar Grove Visitor Center: open today, Sunday, October 25, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., its last day before the winter closure.
  • Cedar Grove services: the lodge, market, grill, showers, and laundry are open through today, October 25. Sheep Creek is the only Cedar Grove campground still open, and it's reservation only. The park's conditions page says it's open until October 25; its campground listing shows the winter closure starting October 27. Trails in Cedar Grove are open, and self-issue wilderness permits are at the Road's End kiosk. (NPS)
  • Grant Grove camping: Azalea Campground is open year-round, by reservation now. Crystal Springs and Sunset campgrounds are closed for the season. Grant Grove trails are open apart from the burn closures.
  • Redwood Canyon: only 2.5 miles of trail are maintained. The park advises against the unmaintained trails because of tree hazards left by the 2021 KNP Complex Fire.

Coming up in the next few weeks

  • Monday, October 26: the Cedar Grove Visitor Center closes for the winter, and Cedar Grove's lodge and services are done for the season.
  • Tuesday, October 27: Sheep Creek Campground's listed winter closure begins.
  • Early to mid-November: the road into Cedar Grove typically closes. The park says dates depend on weather and conditions.
  • November: Azalea Campground drops to its main loop, with 20 first-come, first-served sites paid through the Recreation.gov mobile app. Download the app before you come.
  • In Sequoia: the Lodgepole Grill closes for winter on Monday, November 2, and Lodgepole Campground's last loops close for winter on Wednesday, December 2.
  • Later reopenings: the Cedar Grove Visitor Center, Crystal Springs, and Sunset are listed as closed through May 19, 2027.

What this means for your trip

The big change this week is Cedar Grove. Cedar Grove Lodge and Sheep Creek are at the very end of their season, so unless you already hold a reservation, plan your nights around Azalea Campground in Grant Grove or lodging outside the park. The road into Cedar Grove typically stays open into early or mid-November, but from Monday there's no lodge, market, grill, or visitor center at the bottom. Day-trippers can still drive down for the canyon views and the Cedar Grove trails while the road is open; just bring your own food and water.

Grant Grove is the part of Kings Canyon that stays open all year. The prescribed burn is near the General Grant Tree, so if trails there are still closed when you arrive, ask at the Kings Canyon Visitor Center what's reopened. If you're driving on to Sequoia's Giant Forest on a weekday, budget extra time for the Generals Highway work.

Late fall here means cold mornings and evenings in the sequoia groves, and the park says light snow can start in late October. Pack layers, and keep in mind that tire chains can be required on park roads in winter.

Before you go

If a closure knocks out part of your plan, my guide to Kings Canyon National Park has nine one- to three-day itineraries at easy, moderate, and strenuous effort, each with a backup plan for weather or closures. You can also check alerts and conditions for every national park.

This page is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Park Service. Always check the park's current alerts before you go.