U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region News Release and For Immediate Release: Giant Sequoia National Monument May 15, 2019 1839 S. Newcomb Street Media Contact: Alicia Embrey Porterville, CA 93257 (559) 784-1500 [email protected] www.facebook.com/SequoiaNF Twitter: @sequoiaforest OnCell App: Sequoia.oncell.com Web: https://www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia/

Sequoia National Forest roads, campgrounds and trails update

PORTERVILLE, Calif – This winter spread an amazing amount of snow on the Sequoia National Forest. Across the forest, snow is deeper and wetter; and eager campers are wondering when their favorite campgrounds and roads will open for public use. Visitors should expect wetter-than-average recreation sites, to include roads and trails across much of the forest. Typically forest crews attempt to open most campgrounds in time for Memorial Day weekend.

Across the Forest the following campgrounds and roads are open or opening soon!

HUME LAKE RANGER DISTRICT - Dunlap, - 559-338-2251

ROADS NOW OPEN CAMPGROUNDS NOW OPEN

Delilah Road (12S19) Hume Lake Campground Upper Davis Road (12S01) Aspen Hollow Group Campground Millwood/ McKenzie Road (13S97) Logger Flat Group Campground Millwood/ Sequoia Lake Road (13S97) Ten Mile Campground Dark Canyon/ 245 Road (13S97) Eshom Campground Dark Canyon/Whitaker Forest Road (13S43) Pierce Road (15S01) Campgrounds Opening May 17 Cherry Gap/ Chicago Stump Road (13S03) Boole Tree Road (13S55) Princess Campground Landslide Campground

Closed due to washouts Big Meadows

Lower Davis/Mill Flat Road (12S01) The popular Big Meadows area remains under Abbott Creek (13S58) snow and will not be open for the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend.

CONTINUED

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

WESTERN DIVIDE RANGER DISTRICT - Springville, California - 559-539-2607

Reminder! No glass is allowed along the .

ROADS NOW OPEN CAMPGROUNDS NOW OPEN

Capinero Road () (23S05) Wishon Campground M99 to Kernville Road (M-99) Camp 5 Dispersed Campground (limited sites) Parker Pass Road (M-50) Leavis Flat Campground Rogers Camp Road (21S94) Lloyd Meadow Road (22S82) Day Use Sites Open Rogers Pass Road (21S94) Jack Ranch Road (24S05) Lower Coffee Camp Starvation Road (23S64) Chute Springs Road (23S68) Marshall Meadow Road (24S93) Bony Witt Road (23S05) Deer Creek Road (23S04)

Campgrounds Opening May 24

Belknap Campground Holey Meadow Campground Coy Flat Campground Redwood Meadow Campground Quaking Aspen Campground Lower Peppermint Campground Long Meadow Campground

KERN RIVER RANGER DISTRICT - Kernville, California – 760-376-3781

Reminder! Camping in the Lower Camping Restricted Area, except within a developed campground or in a designated dispersed camping area is prohibited.

No glass is allowed along the upper and lower Kern River or on the shores of .

ROADS CAMPGROUNDS NOW OPEN

Sherman Pass and many other mountain Lower Kern Canyon top roads remain closed due to winter conditions. Tillie Creek Campground Paradise Cove Campground SNOWMOBILE TRAIL HEADS: South Fork Recreation Area Old Isabella Road Campground Greenhorn Summit Trail Head: Closed for Auxiliary Dam Recreation Area lack of snow. Sandy Flat Campground Sugarloaf Trail Head: Open with some pavement showing. Isabella Lake Campgrounds Kern Plateau, Sherman Pass Road 22S05 Westside Trail Head: Open at the 7,000’ Free Dispersed Camping elevation. Sherman Pass Road 22S05: Eastside Trail Stine Cove Campground Head closed. Hanning Flat Campground

CONTINUED

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

OHV TRAILS: Campgrounds Open Year Round

Cyrus Canyon OHV Park: Open Boulder Gulch Campground Registration and spark arrestor required. Camp 9 Recreation Area

Green Horn Mountains: Campgrounds Opening May 23 Lower elevation OHV Trails open. Kern Canyon Trail 31E75 Hungry Gulch Campground Kern River Trail 32E49 Badger Gap Trail 31E76 Upper Kern Canyon Oak Flat Trail 31E79 Delonegha 4WD Trail 31E22 Halfway Campground Freeway Ridge Trail 31E77 Fairview Campground Hog Eye Trail 32E45 Limestone Campground Black Gulch 4WD Trail 32E58 May Flower 4WD Trail 32E48 Free Dispersed Camping Bradshaw 4WD Trail 32E47 Boarder Line 4WD Trail 32E42 Chico Flat Campground Breckenridge Mountain OHV Trails Corral Creek Campground Remington Ridge Trail 32E51 Springhill Campground Mill Creek Trail 31E78 Old Goldledge Campground * (see below) Ant Canyon Campground Piute Mountain OHV Trails: Chamise Flat Campground Calkins Flat Campground All lower OHV elevation trails open Brush Creek Campground Higher elevation OHV trails are snowed in. Campgrounds Open Year Round Kern Plateau (AKA Kennedy Meadows): Headquarters Campground All high elevation OHV trails are snowed in. Opens May 17 Lower Elevation Trails Open: Hospital Flat Campground Old Goldledge Campground * (see below) Cannell Meadow Trail 33E32: first 9 miles. Camp 3 Campground Rincon Trail 33E23: 19.5 miles. Creek crossing are high. Campgrounds Opening May 23

Scodie Mountains Horse Canyon Road Thunderbird Campground 27S11: Road maybe washed out. McIver’s 4WD Trail

***Old Goldledge Campground***

New permit system being implemented. This is a free permit program and will only be in place during high use Holiday weekends, such as Memorial Day Weekend. Permits and more information is available at the Kern River Ranger District Office or online at: www.fs.usda.gov/detail/sequoia/passes-permits/recreation/?cid=FSEPRD623175

CONTINUED

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

Visit the information Kiosk at Riverkern Beach Friday – Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend for all your Kern River Ranger District information. According to Recreation Officer Tricia Maki, “it is our sixth year of staffing the kiosk, and each year proves to be highly successful with a large number of visitor contacts made by Forest Service employees and our amazing volunteers. Not only do they assist visitors with finding available and suitable camping areas on the popular Kern River, they also share critical information by issuing campfire permits, discussing fire and river safety, issuing private boater permits, informing visitors of the glass prohibition, and other general area information.”

Campfire Permits are required for campfires, barbeques, and camp stoves. Free campfire permits are available online at www.preventwildfireca.org or at your local Ranger Station.

Did you know there are many ways to find information about the Sequoia National Forest? Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/sequoiaonf, Facebook at facebook.com/SequoiaNF, and the OnCell app at Sequoia.oncell.com. You can also visit our website at fs.usda.gov/sequoia/.

Know before you go! Stay informed of forest conditions and adjust your travel plans accordingly by visiting or calling your local Sequoia National Forest Ranger Station. For additional or current information on the status of campgrounds and roads, call the Forest Supervisor’s Office at 559-784- 1500, Kern River Ranger Station at 760-376-3781, Western Divide Ranger Station at 559-539-2607, or the Hume Lake Ranger Station at 559-338-2251. Forest offices are open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m., to 4:30 p.m. The Forest Supervisor’s office and District Ranger Stations will be closed Monday, May 28, 2019, in observance of Memorial Day.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.