Do I need a reservation for Sequoia?

No. Sequoia National Park does not require a timed-entry or vehicle reservation to enter in 2026. You still pay the entrance fee ($35 per vehicle) or show an accepted pass.

Is there an entrance fee at Sequoia?

Yes. A private vehicle pass is $35 per vehicle. An America the Beautiful pass is accepted for the entrance fee, and does not cover any reservation or permit.

Sequoia reservations & entry requirements, 2026

The 2026 season at Sequoia

This is what applies across the published season. Use the date checker below for a specific day.

Generals Highway vehicle length limits apply on every date in 2026. Some activities need their own permit.

An entrance fee or accepted pass is required on every visit, separately from anything below.

Park entrance
Required
You must pay the park entrance fee or show an accepted pass.
- Private vehicle: $35, valid for 7 days.
- Motorcycle: $30.
- Per person on foot or bicycle: $20.
- An America the Beautiful pass covers this entrance fee. It does not cover any reservation or permit below.
- One entrance fee covers BOTH Sequoia and Kings Canyon plus the Hume Lake District of Sequoia National Forest - you do not pay twice. Sequoia's entrance is Ash Mountain (Highway 198); Big Stump (Highway 180) is the Kings Canyon entrance. Cashless at entrance stations. Non-US residents 16 and over pay an additional $100 per person unless admitted with an Annual or America the Beautiful pass.
Timed entry
Not applicable
Sequoia National Park has no timed-entry system.
Vehicle, road, or corridor
Required all year
Generals Highway vehicle length limits apply on every date in 2026.
- Generals Highway vehicle length limits
  Dates
  Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026
  Hours
  All day
  Fee
  Not published
  Opens
  No advance booking
  Applies to Generals Highway (continuation of Highway 198) between the Foothills Visitor Center and the Giant Forest Museum in Sequoia National Park - a 16-mile section built in the 1920s
  - Vehicles longer than 24 feet are not advised between Foothills Visitor Center and Potwisha Campground.
  - Vehicles longer than 22 feet are not advised between Potwisha Campground and the Giant Forest Museum.
  - Single vehicles longer than 40 feet are PROHIBITED between Potwisha Campground and the Giant Forest Museum - this limit also applies to tow trucks.
  - The Big Stump entrance via Highway 180 (Kings Canyon) is the preferred route for longer vehicles.
  - Tire chain restrictions are frequently in effect on this section due to snow and ice.
  - A Potwisha, Lodgepole, or Wuksachi booking does not exempt an oversized vehicle from these limits.
- Moro Rock / Crescent Meadow Road closed: The road is closed to general motor vehicle traffic on summer weekends and holidays when the shuttles are operating - use the free Route 2 shuttle from the Giant Forest Museum.
- Mineral King Road closed for the winter: The road closes at the park boundary to general vehicle traffic for the winter season.
Shuttle
Not required
Nothing here is required in 2026.
- Free Giant Forest and Lodgepole shuttle - May 22 to September 7, 2026. The shuttle is fare-free and requires no reservation. The separate Visalia-Sequoia Shuttle from outside the park does require a reservation and a fee. Parking at the Giant Forest Museum and General Sherman Tree is usually full by mid-morning; Wolverton usually has space. Riding the shuttle does not replace the entrance fee.
Your campground or lodging
Not applicable
Sequoia National Park has no in-park stay that changes what you need to enter.
Selected activity
Required on some dates
2 separate requirements apply during 2026.
- Crystal Cave guided tour ticket
  Dates
  Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026
  Hours
  9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
  Fee
  Not published
  Opens
  On sale now
  Applies to Crystal Cave, near Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park, reached by 6.5 miles of Crystal Cave Road off the Generals Highway
  - NPS does not publish the tour price on its own page - it refers visitors to the Sequoia Parks Conservancy website. Price unknown from official NPS sources.
  - Tickets are NOT available at the cave and there are no walk-up tours.
  - Vehicles with a cumulative length over 22 feet (vehicle plus trailer) are not allowed on Crystal Cave Road.
  - Crystal Cave Road is gated each night after the last tour and is only open during the day on dates when tours are offered.
  - There will be construction on Crystal Cave Road during part of the summer 2026 season - allow extra travel time.
  - Visitors who have been in caves elsewhere must not wear the same clothing or equipment, to avoid spreading white-nose syndrome.
- Wilderness permit - quota and fee
  Dates
  May 22, 2026 – Sep 26, 2026
  Hours
  All day
  Fee
  $15
  Opens
  Rolling window · 7 a.m. Pacific Time
  Applies to All Sequoia and Kings Canyon wilderness overnight trips. Sequoia-side issuing stations: Mineral King, Ash Mountain Wilderness Office behind Foothills Visitor Center, Giant Forest Museum. Kings Canyon-side: Kings Canyon Visitor Center and Road's End, Cedar Grove.
  - $15 per permit per trip plus $5 per person, within the quota season only. Free outside the quota season.
  - Outside the quota season (September 28, 2025 - May 21, 2026) permits are free, self-issued at 24-hour kiosks, and not limited by quota.
  - Day hiking does not require a wilderness permit.
  - Walk-up permits are available from 1:00 pm the day before a trip begins.
  - Reserved permits are cancelled at 10:00 am on the entry date if not picked up and may be given to walk-ups.
  - Bear canisters are required in most of the park.
  - A front-country campground reservation does not cover wilderness camping.

Fees and passes

Entrance fee rates at Sequoia National Park
Private vehicle	$35
Motorcycle	$30
Per person, on foot or bicycle	$20
Valid for	7 days
Park annual pass	$70

One entrance fee covers BOTH Sequoia and Kings Canyon plus the Hume Lake District of Sequoia National Forest - you do not pay twice. Sequoia's entrance is Ash Mountain (Highway 198); Big Stump (Highway 180) is the Kings Canyon entrance. Cashless at entrance stations. Non-US residents 16 and over pay an additional $100 per person unless admitted with an Annual or America the Beautiful pass.

An America the Beautiful pass is accepted here. It covers the entrance fee only. It does not cover a timed-entry permit, a vehicle reservation, a parking tag, a shuttle ticket, or an activity permit.

The $70 park annual pass covers Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and the Hume Lake Ranger District for one year from the month of purchase and is non-transferable. An Annual or America the Beautiful pass also exempts non-US residents from the $100 per-person nonresident surcharge. No pass covers a Crystal Cave tour ticket or a wilderness permit fee.

Fee-free days

Feb 16, 2026
May 25, 2026
Jun 14, 2026
Jul 3, 2026
Jul 4, 2026
Jul 5, 2026
Aug 25, 2026
Sep 17, 2026
Oct 27, 2026
Nov 11, 2026

From 2026 a fee-free day waives the entrance fee for U.S. residents. Other visitors still pay it, plus the $100 nonresident fee where it applies. A fee-free day never waives a reservation, a permit, or a booking fee unless the park says so.

Rules that apply to one area only

These do not apply to the whole park. Where you go changes the answer.

Ash Mountain Entrance Station (Highway 198, Sequoia). The same pass is honored at Big Stump Entrance Station in Kings Canyon and in the Hume Lake District of Sequoia National Forest.Sequoia National Park entrance fee - shared with Kings Canyon · Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026
Crystal Cave, near Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park, reached by 6.5 miles of Crystal Cave Road off the Generals HighwayCrystal Cave guided tour ticket - the only way to visit the cave · Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026
Generals Highway (continuation of Highway 198) between the Foothills Visitor Center and the Giant Forest Museum in Sequoia National Park - a 16-mile section built in the 1920sGenerals Highway vehicle length limits - 22 feet advised, 40 feet prohibited · Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026
All Sequoia and Kings Canyon wilderness overnight trips. Sequoia-side issuing stations: Mineral King, Ash Mountain Wilderness Office behind Foothills Visitor Center, Giant Forest Museum. Kings Canyon-side: Kings Canyon Visitor Center and Road's End, Cedar Grove.Wilderness permit - quota and fee May 22 to September 26, 2026; free self-issue outside that window · May 22, 2026 – Sep 26, 2026

What a campground or lodging booking does and does not cover

Sequoia National Park entrance fee - shared with Kings CanyonNot covered by an in-park booking. Campground and lodging reservations do not include the entrance fee.
Crystal Cave guided tour ticket - the only way to visit the caveNot covered by an in-park booking.
Wilderness permit - quota and fee May 22 to September 26, 2026; free self-issue outside that windowNot covered by an in-park booking. A front-country campground reservation does not cover wilderness camping.

Quick answers

Do I need a reservation for Sequoia?: No. Sequoia National Park does not require a timed-entry or vehicle reservation to enter in 2026. You still pay the entrance fee ($35 per vehicle) or show an accepted pass.
Is there an entrance fee at Sequoia?: Yes. A private vehicle pass is $35 per vehicle. An America the Beautiful pass is accepted for the entrance fee, and does not cover any reservation or permit.

Official links, coverage, and sources

When reservations are released

Sequoia National Park entrance feeSold on arrival or in advance at Recreation.gov. Advance purchase is not available for commercial vehicles of any size.
Crystal Cave guided tour ticketTickets must be bought online at least 36 hours in advance; NPS recommends buying two months ahead. Sold by the park partner Sequoia Parks Conservancy, not Recreation.gov. NPS publishes no ticket release date or time.
Wilderness permit - quota and feeReleased on a rolling window. Release time: 7 a.m. Pacific Time. Reservations open up to six months in advance and are released daily at 7:00 AM Pacific. Bookings must be made between six months and one week before the entry date. Entry date and trailhead cannot be modified after booking. NPS writes '7:00 AM Pacific Standard Time' even for summer dates, when the park is on Pacific Daylight Time.

Official booking and park information

Book Wilderness permit - quota and feerecreation.gov(opens in a new tab)$15 permit fee
Official park alerts and conditionsnps.gov(opens in a new tab)Alerts override anything on this page.
Official fees and passesnps.gov(opens in a new tab)

What this does not cover

Road, weather, and fire closures that change day to day. Check the park’s alerts page.
Backcountry and wilderness permits beyond the headline permits listed above.
Commercial use authorizations, filming permits, and group-size rules.
Availability. We tell you what is required, not whether anything is left.

Effective dates and sources

Fees and passesNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Park entrancePrivate Vehicle $35.00 This pass is valid for 1-7 days and includes everyone traveling in a single vehicle for Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks and Hume Lake District of Sequoia National Forest/Giant Sequoia National Monument. Motorcycle $30.00. Per Person $20.00.
Fees & Passes - Sequoia & Kings Canyon National ParksNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Sequoia National Park entrance feeReservations are not accepted or required. Most credit cards, debit cards, and digital forms of payment are accepted ... The fee for a Standard entrance pass is $20.00-$35.00.
Crystal Cave - Sequoia & Kings Canyon National ParksNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Crystal Cave guided tour ticketCrystal Cave is open for guided tours during the 2026 season. ... Because of fragile formations, the only way to visit the cave is on a guided tour. ... Buy tickets online at least 36 hours in advance ... Tickets are not available at the cave. Tours are typically offered between 9 am and 3 pm daily.
Oversized Vehicle Restrictions - Sequoia & Kings Canyon National ParksNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Generals Highway vehicle length limitsVehicles longer than 22 feet (6.7 m) are not advised on the stretch of road between Potwisha Campground and the Giant Forest Museum in Sequoia National Park. Single vehicles longer than 40 feet (12.2 m) are prohibited on the stretch of road between Potwisha Campground and the Giant Forest Museum.
Road Conditions - Sequoia & Kings Canyon National ParksNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Moro Rock / Crescent Meadow Road closedIn summer, this road is most easily accessed by free shuttles, especially on weekends and federal holidays. The roads are closed to general motor vehicle traffic on summer weekends and holidays when the shuttles are operating.
Park Shuttles - Sequoia & Kings Canyon National ParksNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Free Giant Forest and Lodgepole shuttleSummer 2026 Shuttle Service Will Run From May 22 Through September 7 ... During the busiest times of the year, Sequoia National Park offers free shuttle rides between attractions in the Giant Forest and Lodgepole areas. Shuttles ONLY operate within Sequoia National Park.
Wilderness Permits & Reservations - Sequoia & Kings Canyon National ParksNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Wilderness permit - quota and feeWilderness Permits during the Quota Season (May 22, 2026 - September 26, 2026) ... Reservations can be made up to six months in advance of your trip, and are released daily at 7:00 AM Pacific Standard Time. ... Wilderness permits cost $15 each trip plus $5 per person within the quota season.
Oversized Vehicle Restrictions - Sequoia & Kings Canyon National ParksNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Mineral King Road closed for the winterSingle vehicles longer than 40 feet (12.2 m) are prohibited on Mineral King Road. RVs and trailers are not permitted in the Mineral King campgrounds. ... The road is open from late May through the last Wednesday of October, weather permitting.

Something wrong here?

Park rules change, sometimes at short notice. If a line on this page does not match what the park publishes, tell us and we will fix it and re-check the source.

corrections@nationalparkentry.com· Last factual change 2026-08-05 · Sources last reviewed 2026-07-26

Nearest other national parks

Chosen by distance from Sequoia, not by editorial preference.

Sequoia National Park entry requirements