Mineral King Road closed for the winter at Sequoia: what applies in 2026?

Exact conditions

Status

Not required; the stated access rule still applies

Applies to

vehicles

Place or corridor

Mineral King Road, off Highway 198 before the main Sequoia National Park entrance, leading to the Mineral King area at 7,500-14,000 feet

Effective dates

January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026

Release model

first come

Release detail: No booking system. NPS gives the opening window as 'late May through the last Wednesday of October, weather permitting' but has not published exact 2026 opening and closing dates.

Exceptions and limits

• The road closes at the park boundary to general vehicle traffic for the winter season.
• Single vehicles longer than 40 feet are prohibited; RVs and trailers are not permitted in the Mineral King campgrounds.
• The road is extremely narrow and winding and unpaved in places, often less than two lanes wide with no guardrails.
• Construction is scheduled on Mineral King Road in late summer 2026.