Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

The 100th Annual Trek to the Nation’s Christmas Tree event is taking place on December 14th at 2 p.m. at the historic General Grant Tree in Grant Grove, Kings Canyon National Park. The official ceremony will begin at 2:30p.m. This cherished tradition celebrates the Nation’s Christmas Tree, the General Grant Tree, which holds a significant place in our nation’s history. December 14th is a free entrance day at Sequoia and Kings Canyon. 

Thanksgiving weekend is typically busy in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, at a time of year when some services and attractions are closed for the winter. Planning will help to ensure a safe and enjoyable trip.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are seeking proposals to provide pack station, guided trail rides, and other services from Cedar Grove Pack Station and Grant Grove Stables within Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. The new concessioner will provide these services over a 10-year term. The existing contract that has been in place since January 1, 2019, concludes on December 31, 2026. The new contract will provide the same services as those offered under the current contract. 

Surplus wood in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks is now available to the public by permit. Residential firewood permits are free and must be obtained before wood can be removed. There is a limit of six cords per family per year. Firewood is available on a first-come first-served basis until the supply is gone. This wood is a result of tree mortality, and were trees deemed to be a potential hazard to visitors or property within the parks. 

A new National Park Service report shows that a record 2,008,962 visitors to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in 2024 spent $192.5 million in communities near the park. That spending had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $230.9 million.