SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, Calif., 22 June 2023 –

Hi everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well. I have a few updates to share, with more to come next week.

Access to Giant Forest from Hwy 198 in Three Rivers- Expected to open July 1!

• There will be two sites reduced to one-lane traffic, there will be traffic lights setup, more details on delays to come.
  • One site at One Shot Rock and the other below Eleven Range
• A reminder that the Lodgepole Visitor Center is also on track for opening on July 1- this will be soft opening as operations get settled in, with a ribbon cutting event taking place at a future date.
• Still TBD on whether the Lodgepole Market will be open in time for July 1, more next week.

Mineral King Road

Federal Highways was in the parks last week, and in reviewing the Mineral King Rd. they seem confident about keeping a narrow lane for vehicular traffic all the way up the road. 

• The size of vehicles is still to be determined, but will definitely not include large vehicles like propane trucks, trash service, tow trucks, fire trucks, etc. 
• A SEKI team will be driving up this week to assess what that narrow lane looks like, and help inform what, if any, public access looks like this summer.
  • This will also inform guidelines for resident access.
• A construction crew will mobilize on Mineral King Rd. sometime in July, and it looks like work may be completed this year. 
• More to come, likely out of cycle early next week.

Wilderness Updates

Woods Creek Bridge

• Repairs are now complete.

San Joaquin Bridge

• Still damaged
• Work is being done to see if removal of the bridge is possible this year, with hopes to repair this bridge in 2024. 
• More to come on this.

Thank you everyone for your patience as we navigate working with our partner agencies in improving and increasing access. We’ll send more information as we have it.

All the best,

Sintia

[SOURCE: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks]