Start your search at the National Park Service website at www.nps.gov/seki for the most up-to-date information on the park, lodging, hikes, regulations, and the best times to visit. Much of the same information, plus road conditions, is available by phone (tel. 559/565-3341). You can also get a variety of books and maps from the Sequoia Natural History Association, 47050 Generals Hwy. #10, Three Rivers, CA 93271 (tel. 559/565-3759; www.sequoiahistory.org).
For lodging information and reservations at Wuksachi Lodge in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, call tel. 866/807-3598 or 559/253-2199, or visit www.visitsequoia.com. In Kings Canyon National Park, call tel. 866/522-6966 or 559/335-5500, or visit www.sequoia-kingscanyon.com for lodging information at Grant Grove, John Muir, or Cedar Grove lodges.
Camping in Sequoia & Kings Canyon is often much easier than in Yosemite, as most of the 14 campgrounds operate on a first-come, first-served basis. To get up-to-date information, call the general Sequoia & Kings Canyon information line at tel. 559/565-3341.
Access & Entry Points
You'll find the Big Stump Entrance (Kings Canyon National Park) via CA 180, and the Ash Mountain Entrance (Sequoia National Park) via CA 198, both from the west. Continuing east on CA 180 also brings you to an entrance near Cedar Grove Village in the canyon itself, which is open only in summer. See the map in chapter 2 for general highway-access information. To access the Mineral King area of Sequoia National Park, take the steep, twisting Mineral King Road (closed in winter) off of CA 198, just a few miles outside the Ash Mountain Entrance.
Fees
It costs $20 per motor vehicle ($10 per individual on foot, bike, or motorcycle) to enter the park for up to 7 days. Camping fees range from $12 to $20 a night in the park. The Sequoia & Kings Canyon yearly pass, which allows unlimited entry into the park but does not cover camping fees, sells for $30.
Regulations & Warnings
In Sequoia & Kings Canyon, there is a 14-day camping limit from June 14 to September 14, with a maximum of 30 camping days per year. Check campsite bulletin boards for additional regulations. Some campgrounds close in winter (see chart in chapter 8). Pets are allowed in campgrounds, but they must be on a leash and are not allowed on any trails.
The most important warning in Sequoia & Kings Canyon, which cannot be repeated too often, is that this is bear country, and proper food storage is required for the safety and health of both visitors and the resident black bears. In addition, rattlesnakes are common, so be careful where you put your feet and hands. In the foothills, check your clothes frequently for ticks; poison oak is another hazard. The roads in the park are particularly steep and winding. Those in RVs will find it easiest to come by way of CA 180 from Fresno.
Marmot Invasion
Always do a quick check under your hood before leaving a parking lot. Marmots, especially in the Mineral King area, love munching on car hoses and wiring, leaving a trail of disabled vehicles in their wake. A good number of them have stowed away in a car's engine compartment and hitched rides with unsuspecting drivers to other parts of the parks; several have ridden as far as the Los Angeles area!
