Cedar Grove reopened on June 10, allowing visitors for the first time since severe flooding in the winter of 2022-2023.
The area, which includes cliffs, tall trees, waterfalls and the Kings River, is now open for day use and wilderness access, park officials said.
In the first three days of reopening, 581 people reserved overnight wilderness backpacking permits in Cedar Grove.
The visitor center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until September 22. The Roads End Permit Station and Cedar Grove Pack Station are also open.
“Cedar Grove Market will reopen this Saturday, June 15, and Cedar Grove Lodge will reopen on June 21,” reports Glen White, director of corporate communications for Delaware North, which operates both businesses.
The Sentinel Campground is expected to open “no sooner than July 1” as maintenance crews work to repair plumbing that was severely damaged by the 2022-2023 winter storms, said Holly Brown, public affairs specialist for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. who explained why the process was not completed sooner.
“The reason for the delay was that part of the road was washed away (by the storms),” she said. “First the road had to be repaired. Moreover, the park is really inaccessible in winter.”
The other campgrounds in Cedar Grove are not expected to open this year.
Reservations will be available once a final opening date for Sentinel Campground is set at recreation.gov. For current conditions and travel planning, visit nps.gov/seki. Updates will also be posted at visitsequoia.com, on the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park Facebook page, and on Instagram.
Brown warns that park visitors may experience major delays during the summer holidays if large crowds are expected.
“We have hit very high attendance numbers on holiday weekends, so visitors can expect delays entering, with cars backed up,” said Brown, who advised visitors to “purchase tickets online (at recreation.gov) to enter. faster.”
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Cedar Grove reopens in Kings Canyon
