With another round of atmospheric river bearing down on central California, Sequoia National Park is set to close certain areas on Thursday evening with possible closures arriving soon for Kings Canyon National Park
The National Park Service announced the closure plans Wednesday evening.
Know when to go:The Ash Mountain entrance to Sequoia is expected to close at 6 p.m., and closures may occur throughout Kings Canyon National Park, depending on how the weather system develops.
- The forecasted atmospheric river is expected to cause significant precipitation and major snow melt. Recent storm systems have already deposited feet of snow in the mountains, but the upcoming storm is predicted to be warmer, with the snow line at approximately 9,000 feet.
- While the Grant Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park remains open, staff strongly discourage visitors from attempting to visit during an active storm.
- With many slopes denuded of vegetation following the 2021 KNP Complex wildfire, there is potential for flooding, landslides, serious road damage, and other impacts in the parks and surrounding communities.
- Yosemite National Park has been closed since a heavy winter storm hit the park last month, and is expected to remain closed through the weekend
What they’re saying: Ned Kelleher, incident commander for the parks’ storm response team, stated that “the predicted storm could have significant impacts, particularly on roadways damaged by previous storms,” and urged visitors to prioritize their safety.
- At this time, park staff does not expect that it will be possible to restore access to the Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park any sooner than March 17, and the actual date may be later.
