Our friends at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks have provided an update on what is closed and what is not. Of note, Caltrans was planning to reopen Route 245 today at noon, so the park has provided an updated map from Sequoia to Kings Canyon for giant sequoia access.
Tag: road closure
Temporary access to Oak Grove Bridge should be restored by the end of next week; however, much of the county portion of the road is expected to remain closed to the public for an additional three weeks while minor repairs are completed. It is expected that Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks personnel will have access to the Sequoia National Park portion of the road by the end of next week. The Park portion of the road will remain closed until further notice.
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks personnel continue to make progress with snow clearing, damage repairs, and all the various tasks associated with recovering from a historic winter season. Memorial Day weekend is the usual kick-off to summer in the parks, but unfortunately this year, access to the world’s largest tree (by volume)and the surrounding Giant Forest and Lodgepole area won’t be open in time. Crystal Cave and Cedar Grove are expected to be inaccessible for the 2023 summer season. No vehicular public access to Mineral King is anticipated before August, and it is likely to be later.
The county expects temporary emergency repairs of the Mineral King Road to commence next week and be completed by the middle of May. Permanent repairs will follow in about 8-12 months.
Thanks to information provided by partner agencies Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks is sharing a couple significant updates as part of their weekly review of estimated reopening dates. Click to learn more!
Effective Friday, April 14, public access to the foothills of Sequoia National Park will be restored following massive flooding that caused major road damage last month. Access into the Grant Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park reopened last Friday, April 7. Click for more updates.
Click to read more about property tax relief, road and bridge repairs, and a brief update on commercial development projects.
Sheriff Mike Boudreaux has lifted the Evacuation Warning for the Three Rivers Area. Mineral King Road is closed at the washout at approximately Mile Marker four and a half (4.5).
Access to Grant Grove has been restored, and access to the Foothills area is expected to be restored on Friday 14 April. Read more for helpful information and more expected opening dates.
Click to read more about the status of county roads in Three Rivers and repair plans.
Roads and facilities in the parks have been badly damaged by the recent major winter storms, beginning with a weather event in early January and followed by a succession of weather events in March. Park officials stress that there are still many unknowns that are likely to change these dates, and plan to issue regular updates to their projections.
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, in partnership with Tulare County and Caltrans, is hosting a public meeting on Friday, March 24 at 6 p.m. at the Santa Teresita Youth Conference Center in Three Rivers, CA. Agencies will provide an overview of damage and impacts from the recent storm systems, with an opportunity for participants to ask questions.