Cedar Grove reopened on June 10, allowing visitors in for the first time since the severe flooding during 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 the reopening, 581 people reserved backpacking permits for overnight wilderness use in Cedar Grove.
The Visitor Center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Sept. 22. The Roads End Permit Station and the Cedar Grove Pack Station are also open.
“Cedar Grove Market reopens this Saturday, June 15, and Cedar Grove Lodge reopens June 21” reported Glen White, director of corporate communications for Delaware North, which operates both businesses.
The Sentinel Campground has been projected to open “no earlier than July 1,” as maintenance crews work to repair plumbing that was seriously damaged by the winter 2022-23 storms, said Holly Brown, public affairs specialist for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, who explained why the process wasn’t completed earlier.
“The reason for delay was that part of the road had been washed out (by the storms),” she said. “The road had to be repaired first. Also, the park is really inaccessible in the winter.”
The other campgrounds in Cedar Grove are not expected to open this year.
Once a firm opening date for Sentinel Campground is set, reservations will be available at recreation.gov. For current conditions and trip 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 cautions that park visitors may experience long delays during the summer holidays when large crowds are expected.
“We have been reaching really high numbers for attendance for holiday weekends, so visitors can expect delays waiting to get in, with cars backed up,” said Brown, who advised visitors to “purchase passes online (at recreation.gov) to get in faster.”
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Cedar Grove reopens in Kings Canyon
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