Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks guide · 2 min read
Snow, Chains and Winter Road Closures
Tire chains are often required on park roads in winter, and chain requirements can stay in effect for days after a storm.
Chain control applies when roads are snowy and slippery, and state law requires every vehicle to carry chains or cables, including vehicles with four-wheel or all-wheel drive. Conditions can change quickly, so you may need chains by the time you leave.
If you do not have chains, rent or buy them before you arrive. Tire, auto parts and large stores often carry them, and shops in Three Rivers offer both options. Along Highway 180, rentals are limited, and the nearest place to buy is in Yokuts Valley, 21 miles outside the park. Buying them early also lets you practice installing them.
Sections of the Generals Highway may close in winter, and passage between the two parks may be unavailable. In severe weather, the highway between Giant Forest and Grant Village may close, and the stretch between Quail Flat and Wuksachi Lodge can close when snow is heavy. Check the road conditions page before you set out.
Mineral King Road is a narrow, winding mountain road, unpaved in some areas, that leaves Highway 198 near Three Rivers. Single vehicles longer than 40 feet are prohibited, and recreational vehicles and trailers are not permitted in the campgrounds. Construction work can bring closures and delays, and work zones may shift from day to day.
Two paved trails, Big Trees Trail in Giant Forest and Grant Tree Trail in Grant Grove, are open in winter, though fast-changing weather can make them inaccessible. Rangers lead snowshoe walks from the Giant Forest Museum and Kings Canyon Visitor Center when conditions allow, and assistive snowshoes and poles are available. Winter storms can cover the parks in snow and ice, although some years bring very little.
