July 25,2018-
“Pack your patience” Park Service advises
Fire near Yosemite has cleared thousands of campers and hotel guests out the famed national park leaving visitors looking for a Sierra destination to continue their vacation and alternative accommodations. Record heat in California is also propelling visitors and locals alike to look for relief in the higher elevations despite the fire.
Yosemite officially closed the entrance gates June 25 after a week of choking smoke from the nearby Ferguson Fire reduced the number of visitors anyway, many taking to wearing masks trying to manage as best they could. Now they had to clear out as of noon,fleeing the scenic valley as smoke enveloped the sky.
One visitor was quoted as saying he was “very disappointed. We look forward to this all year. This is the trip of our summer.”
Yosemite visitor agency CEO Rhonda Salisbury has been advising disappointed Yosemite visitors to consider heading south to Sequoia/Kings Canyon instead of just heading home.
According to press reports she has been telling callers “There are wonderful places to visit in the region, so we’re asking people to consider alternative plans.”
Apparently many are doing just that – traveling 2 hours south to catch a glimpse of the Big Trees and other landmarks that rival Yosemite.
Visalia Visitor Bureau Marketing Manager Suzanne Bianco says “our hotels are telling us they are more full than usual and we are fielding calls from visitors looking to make alternative plans.”
“They often ask about the air quality down here.”
Three Rivers hotels report a high number of bookings and more than the usual number of visitors coming into the cozy Three Rivers Museum confirms docent Rachel Katz. “I would like to continue to talk to you but more visitors are heading in the door” she hurriedly told this reporter.
Park officials too report a surge of visitors even though July and August are peak times to visit the parks.
“Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are experiencing much higher visitation than is typical during the summer peak season due to fire activity and several area closures in Yosemite National Park” says park spokesperson Sintia Kawasaki Yee.
The park is discouraging commercial bus operators from visiting the park due to congestion and a lack of parking, she adds.
Visalia’s Sequoia Shuttle bus service is also busier than usual says Christine Chavez, analyst with city transit agency, not just the shuttle route from Visalia up Hwy 198 through Three Rivers but the ‘internal shuttle’ that runs inside the park.
The parking lot for the internal shuttle inside the park at Lodgepole, up from Hwy 180 (connecting to Yosemite) “is filling up faster than the parking lots up 198” she adds. That is spillover from Yosemite she figures.
“We encourage visitors to book our Visalia to Sequoia shuttle service ahead of time and early, to insure they can get a seat.”
No room?
In the meantime the Park Service says Sequoia and Kings Canyo “campgrounds and lodging are full, including first-come first-serve campsites.”
For campground reservations visit www.recreation.gov. For lodging information visit www.visitsequoia.com.
The Park Service adds that visitors can expect to see smoke from the Ferguson Fire in the Sierra National Forest north of the parks, as well as the Horse Creek Fire in the Mineral King area of the parks. The Horse Creek fire is much smaller and the fire nearly put out now but smoldering.
Sequoia and Kings Canyon air is not great at 83 pm, considered unhealthy – but nothing like Yosemite at 167 pm, worse than Beijing’s in China.
Pack your patience
Overall the NPS’s advice when visiting Sequoia is to ” Pack your patience, some snacks, and drive slowly and safely.Triple digit temperatures are common in the Foothills, and it is critical to bring plenty of liquids to stay hydrated.Purchasing your entrance pass online ahead of time will save time at the entrance gate. Visit www.yourpassnow.com.
For the latest information on the Ferguson Fire visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/
For air quality information visit go.nps.gov/sekiair.