Landslides at Sequoia National Park have impacted the Generals Highway/NPS

The long holiday weekend might not be the best time to visit Sequoia or Kings Canyon national parks in California, as recent storms have damaged roads and spawned mudslides and more harsh weather is in the forecast.

Park staff say the two parks have seen an extraordinary amount of precipitation this winter, with the last storm causing serious drainage failures, undermining the road at three different sections of the Generals Highway between Hospital Rock and Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park.

Road crews were working to protect the integrity of the road before the upcoming series of storms in an effort to minimize longer term damage. Numerous landslides are blocking at least one lane of traffic. Damage is being assessed in collaboration with Federal Highways Administration engineers, and major repairs are expected before it will be safe to reopen to the public. 

“As with most of California, we are seeing precipitation that rivals all other storms experienced by long-term park employees in at least 30 years. What is unique and causing more challenges this year is a landscape that is still recovering from the 2021 KNP Complex fires. We’re seeing erosion, mud flows, rock slides and severe damage to our roadways and infrastructure,” Superintendent Clay Jordan said. “Park staff and equipment are really being pushed to the max to minimize damage and impacts to visitor access. We are sensitive to the effects that park closures have on our local communities and will keep everyone informed as the situation develops.”

In Sequoia, from Highway 198, the Foothills area is open to Hospital Rock Picnic Area, about 5 miles in from the entrance station. The highway above Hospital Rock will remain closed at least through the holiday weekend, meaning no access to snow or sequoias in Giant Forest, Lodgepole, Wolverton, or Wuksachi areas.

In Kings Canyon, from Highway 180, the Grant Grove area is open. More weather is expected this weekend, and likely to make the area difficult to navigate, a park release said. Crews will work to keep access to this area open for the holiday weekend, but conditions could change at any time with little or no warning.