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Highway 180 is the road from Grant Grove down into Cedar Grove. Cedar Grove is the part of Kings Canyon National Park that gave the park its name: a valley floor at about 3,500 to 4,700 ft, with Zumwalt Meadow, Roaring River Falls and the trail to Mist Falls.
Every winter the stretch beyond Grant Grove closes because of rockfall. The rest of the park does not close. Grant Grove and the General Grant Tree stay open, and the parks themselves are open 24 hours a day, all year.
The quick answer
The National Park Service's Fall 2026 Trip Planner says Highway 180 into Cedar Grove is expected to close on 13 November 2026. Cedar Grove Lodge, the market and grill, the showers and the visitor center close after 25 October. The road usually reopens on the fourth Friday in April, and Grant Grove stays open all winter, weather permitting.
When does Highway 180 to Cedar Grove close in 2026?
It is expected to close on Friday 13 November 2026, per the National Park Service's Fall 2026 Trip Planner.
The road between Grant Grove and Cedar Grove is seasonal. The Park Service says it is generally open from the fourth Friday in April to mid-November. When it closes, Caltrans shuts it just beyond the Hume Lake Road junction, 6 miles northeast of Grant Grove Village. Rockfall on the canyon walls is the reason.
Other dates stack up in the same weeks across both parks, and a late-autumn trip needs a calendar.
| Date (2026) | What happens | Where |
|---|---|---|
| After 25 October | Lodge, market and grill, showers and visitor center close; Sheep Creek Campground closes | Cedar Grove |
| 27 October | Fee-free day (US citizens and residents) | Both parks |
| 28 October | Mineral King Road closes for winter | Sequoia |
| 1 November | Last Crystal Cave tours; Azalea Campground goes first-come, first-served | The parks; Grant Grove |
| 11 November | Fee-free day (US citizens and residents) | Both parks |
| 13 November (expected) | Highway 180 closes beyond the Hume Lake Road junction | Road to Cedar Grove |
| After 28 November | John Muir Lodge and Cabins close | Grant Grove |
What closes at Cedar Grove after 25 October?
Every service: Cedar Grove Lodge, the market and grill, the showers and the Cedar Grove Visitor Center.
From 26 October until the road closes, you can still drive down into the valley, but you are on your own. Sheep Creek Campground is open until 25 October. There are no gas stations or EV chargers anywhere in the parks; gas is sold all year at Hume Lake, in the national forest.
Those last weeks are still open for walks in the valley. Zumwalt Meadow is 0.8 miles (1.3 km) round trip to the meadow view, 4.5 miles east of Cedar Grove Village. Roaring River Falls is a 0.4-mile (0.6 km) shady walk from the road. Allow about 60 minutes each way for the 29 miles (47 km) from Grant Grove, and bring food and water. The Park Service notes light snow may start in late October.
What stays open in Kings Canyon National Park after the closure?
Grant Grove, with the General Grant Tree, stays open all winter, weather permitting. Only the road beyond Hume Lake Road closes.
The General Grant Tree is 268 ft tall, the world's second-largest tree according to the Park Service, and the Nation's Christmas Tree since 1926. The trail from the parking lot is 0.5 miles (0.8 km) round trip, with Braille and tactile features. You can reach it when Cedar Grove is closed.
John Muir Lodge and Cabins in Grant Grove stay open through 28 November 2026, and Azalea Campground is first-come, first-served from 1 November. Panoramic Point Road closes with the snow. One more winter rule matters if you want both parks: the Generals Highway between Lodgepole and Grant Grove is unplowed and often closed by snow from the Friday after 1 January to the third Friday in March. Then the drive between the parks means going back down to the foothills.
A private day from Los Angeles to the General Grant Tree, the General Sherman Tree and Moro Rock, with fees included per the listing.
Check dates for the private Sequoia and Kings Canyon day from LAWhen does Highway 180 to Cedar Grove reopen?
Usually on the fourth Friday in April. On that pattern it would be 23 April 2027, weather permitting.
The fourth Friday is the Park Service's general rule for the road, not an announced 2027 date, and snow or rockfall can change it. Cedar Grove's services follow later: the area is typically open from May through early to mid-November.
Spring is a different trip. The sequoia groves usually have deep snow from December to May, and the rivers run swift and icy in spring and early summer. Drowning is the primary cause of death in the parks, and Roaring River Falls at full power is a sight for the path, not the pool. For month-by-month planning, see the best time to visit Kings Canyon.
Do you need tire chains in Kings Canyon in winter?
You must carry them in chain-control zones, even with 4WD or AWD, and chains may be required any time it snows.
The Park Service says chains can be required whenever it snows, most often from November to March. California law requires every vehicle, including four-wheel and all-wheel drive, to carry chains in a chain-control zone. Sort them out before you leave Fresno.
Winter in Grant Grove is cold rather than extreme: average highs are about 42°F (6°C) in January. Cell service is limited to the areas around the Kings Canyon Visitor Center, the Foothills Visitor Center and Lodgepole, so check road conditions before you lose signal. The Big Stump Entrance is 60 miles (97 km) from Fresno, about 1 hour 15 minutes, and Highway 180 is the straighter, wider route into the parks.
Which Kings Canyon tours do not need the Cedar Grove road?
The private day tours: their listed stops are in Grant Grove and Sequoia's Giant Forest, not Cedar Grove, so the Highway 180 closure does not touch them. Winter snow can still close other park roads, so check dates and the route with the operator.
The private day tour from Los Angeles lists General Grant Grove, the Kings Canyon Visitor Center, the General Sherman Tree, Tunnel Log and Moro Rock. None of those depends on the road to Cedar Grove. The listing calls the itinerary customizable, for up to five people, and includes all fees and taxes. It is rated 4.8 from 16 reviews.
The private Sequoia and Kings Canyon day covers the same two big trees with pickup at your location and park fees included, per the listing. In midwinter, when the Generals Highway between the parks may be closed by snow, a local driver who knows the roads is worth having. The full Cedar Grove picture is in our Kings Canyon National Park guide.
The General Grant and General Sherman trees in one private day from Los Angeles, with sunset at Moro Rock.
Explore the private Sequoia and Kings Canyon day from LA Tour detailsFrequently asked questions
When does Highway 180 close in Kings Canyon National Park in 2026?
The road beyond Grant Grove into Cedar Grove is expected to close on 13 November 2026, according to the National Park Service's Fall 2026 Trip Planner.
Is Kings Canyon National Park open in winter?
Yes. The parks are open 24 hours a day, all year. Grant Grove and the General Grant Tree stay open; only Highway 180 beyond the Hume Lake Road junction closes.
When does Cedar Grove open again?
Highway 180 to Cedar Grove usually reopens on the fourth Friday in April, and Cedar Grove is typically open from May.
Are Cedar Grove Lodge and the market open in November?
No. In 2026 Cedar Grove Lodge, the market and grill, the showers and the visitor center close after 25 October.
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