FAQs

Before entering the park, check the latest road and weather updates at nps.gov or by calling (559) 565-3341. During the winter months, snow chains for tires may be needed and are required to be carried in all vehicles. Highway 180 (northern entrance) closes periodically after a heavy snowfall, with Highway 198 the only way in and out of the park. Check to make sure your intended route is open.

For a recorded update on the latest road conditions, call (559) 565-3134, option 1, option 1. Information is also available on our Service Updates page.

Vehicle length limits have changed in Sequoia National Park for entering and exiting the Generals Highway (Hwy 198). The section leading to and from the “big trees” in Giant Forest was built from 1921 to 1926, and the road was not constructed to accommodate longer vehicles.

Vehicles longer than 22 feet (6.7056 meters) are not allowed between Potwisha Campground and the Giant Forest Museum in Sequoia National Park.

Vehicles longer than 24 feet (7.3152 meters) are not advised between the Foothills Visitor Center and Potwisha Campground in Sequoia National Park.

Toward Fresno

Valero, Dunlap: (559) 338-2404

• 19 miles from Kings Canyon Visitor Center
• 24 hours with credit/debit card
• Diesel available
• Air accessible 24 hours
• No minimum purchase
• Open all year

Squaw Valley Trading Post: (559) 332-2880

• 25 miles from Kings Canyon Visitor Center
• 24 hours with credit/debit card
• No diesel
• Air accessible 24 hours
• No minimum purchase
• Open all year

Highway 180 East toward Cedar Grove

Hume Lake: (559) 305-7770, ext. 1279

• 9 miles from Kings Canyon Visitor Center
• 24 hours with credit card
• Diesel available
• Air accessible 24 hours
• No minimum purchase
• Open all year

South on Generals Highway toward Sequoia National Park

Stony Creek: (559) 565-3909

• 14 miles from Kings Canyon Visitor Center
• 24 hours with credit card
• Diesel
• Air available
• No minimum purchase
• Seasonal: Memorial Day to mid-September

For information about dinner reservations, please visit The Peaks Restaurant page.

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks are natural habitats for black bears. These intelligent animals have learned that where there are people, there is food. You’re welcome to bring food with you (all Wuksachi Lodge guest rooms have mini-refrigerators for storage), but the Park Service requires visitors to remove any food or scented items from vehicles. All food and food containers (coolers, etc.) you bring with you must be unloaded and taken inside.

Wuksachi Lodge is a series of buildings designed to blend into the surrounding forest and give you a secluded, scenic mountaintop experience. Guest rooms are located a short distance away (100–200 yards) from the main lodge that houses the front desk and restaurant, so it’s best wait to unload your luggage until after checking in. Individual parking areas just below the buildings come with luggage carts to help transport your bags to your room. Assistance to and from the main lodge building is available upon request.

When Wuksachi Lodge was built, one of the goals was to maintain as small a carbon footprint as possible. As such, no elevators were installed in our buildings. If you have difficulty going up and down stairs, please call our reservations office at (866) 807-3598, or (801) 559-4930 for international callers, and request an entry-level room (please note that some of our buildings are entered from the second floor). While we cannot guarantee every special request we receive, requests for entry-level rooms due to mobility issues are given high priority.

Nighttime is magical here, and at 7,000+ feet above sea level with an almost nonexistent amount of light pollution, it’s amazing to see millions of stars in the night sky. To preserve the beautiful view and in keeping with our commitment to maintain a small carbon footprint, outdoor lighting is minimal around the Wuksachi Lodge grounds. The path between our guest rooms and the main lodge is illuminated and paved, but it can be hard to see at night. We recommend that you bring a flashlight with you.

Very few areas of Sequoia & Kings Canyon have cell phone service. Depending on your carrier, you may get service in some spots in the parks, but you shouldn’t count on it. Wuksachi Lodge does not have reception. Some guests may get reception at John Muir Lodge. If someone needs to reach you during your stay, they can call the hotel directly at (559) 565-4070 ext. 0.

Due to our remote location, internet is limited at both John Muir Lodge and Wuksachi Lodge. Our satellite internet has limited bandwidth, low speeds, and high “latency” (the amount of time it takes to respond to a request). Every request must travel the equivalent of more than four times around the earth to get a response back to you.

What does this mean in practical terms?

Our internet service is adequate for checking email, doing research on basic web pages, checking your flight information, and using some social media sites.

Because of the limited bandwidth and high latency, you will NOT be able to do any of the following over satellite internet:

• Stream video, watch movies, view online television.
• Download or especially upload large files. If you have an iPhone set to sync to iCloud or a computer that backups up using Carbonite, Dropbox, or similar, please turn those services off while staying with us.
• Real-time chat or screenshares. Because of the high latency, even low-bandwidth applications that require fast response, such as screenshares, webinars, and voice chat will not work.

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks are great places to unplug and enjoy nature, spend time with family, and live a little slower. They are not great places to be online!

Weather in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks can change quickly, regardless of season. Even during the hottest months of the year, it gets surprisingly cool once the sun goes down. Pack clothing that you can layer, including a sweater or jacket for evenings and mornings, and comfortable shoes for walking and hiking. You may want to bring a backpack to carry a water bottle, first-aid kit, extra pair of socks, hat, etc.