Closest airports
| Airport | City | Drive to the park | Straight-line miles | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Sierra Regional Airport (BIH) | Bishop, CA | 7 h (277 mi) | 47 | Regional |
| Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) | Fresno, CA | 1 h 15 min (54 mi) | 63 | Large hub |
| Mammoth Yosemite Airport (MMH) | Mammoth Lakes, CA | 6 h 10 min (240 mi) | 65 | Regional |
Drive times run from the airport to Kings Canyon Visitor Center, estimated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads at normal speeds; allow extra for traffic, stops and construction.
Regional airports have fewer flights, so compare fares with the larger hub.
Directions from the park service
Two highways enter the parks. Hwy 180 from Fresno leads east to Kings Canyon National Park, then continues 30 miles east to Cedar Grove. Hwy 198 from Visalia leads east to Sequoia National Park via Three Rivers. Inside the parks, Highway 198 becomes the Generals Highway, which connects 198 to 180. Vehicles over 22-feet long should enter the parks via Highway 180. In winter, the Generals Highway between the parks often closes. Chains may be required on park roads. No roads cross the parks east to west.
Hours
Open 24 hours, every day. The parks are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Some park roads and roads that access more remote parts of the parks close in the winter due to snow accumulation. Rarely, extreme weather conditions may cause roads into the parks to be closed.
Visitor centers
- Foothills Visitor Center: Daily, 8:00AM - 5:00PM. Foothills Visitor Center is open year-round, except during weather-related, emergency, or operational closures. Operating hours may vary.
- Giant Forest Museum: Daily, 9:00AM - 6:00PM. The Giant Forest Museum is open year-round, except during weather-related, emergency, or operational closures. Operating hours may vary.
- Kings Canyon Visitor Center: Daily, 8:00AM - 5:00PM. Kings Canyon Visitor Center is open year-round, except during weather-related, emergency, or other closures. Operating dates and hours may vary.
- Lodgepole Visitor Center: Daily, 8:00AM - 5:00PM. The Lodgepole Visitor Center is open seasonally, from late May/early June through late September/mid-October. Operating hours may vary
- Cedar Grove Visitor Center: Daily, 9:00AM - 5:00PM. Cedar Grove Visitor Center is open seasonally, typically from late May through mid-September. Early and late in the season, the facility may be closed on weekdays. The visitor center may also close for lunch at any time. Please note that operating dates and hours are subject to change.
- Mineral King Ranger Station: Daily, 7:30AM - 4:00PM. Mineral King Ranger Station is generally open from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend. Hours may vary.
Last gas, groceries and EV charging
Places mapped in OpenStreetMap within 19 miles (straight line) of Cedar Grove Visitor Center and Kings Canyon Visitor Center. Fill up before you head deep into the park: most parks have little or no fuel inside.
Gas stations (4 within reach)
| Place | Where | Miles | Fuel extras and hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hume Lake Gas Station | See map | 4.3 | diesel |
| Independent | See map | 6.9 | |
| Stony Creek Gasoline | 65569 Generals Highway, Sequoia National Park | 8.6 | diesel |
| Valero | See map | 11.6 |
Grocery stores and supermarkets
None mapped within this distance. Stock up on food before you arrive; small camp stores may be the only option.
EV charging
None mapped within this distance. Charge fully before you arrive, and check PlugShare or your car’s app for chargers farther out.
Opening hours and fuel types are what local mappers have recorded, so call ahead in winter or off season. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License.
Getting around
Most parks are best seen by car. Fill up before you enter, since gas inside parks is limited or absent. Parking at popular trailheads fills early in summer.
Sources
- National Park Service Data API: directions, hours and visitor centers (public domain)
- OurAirports: airport list and locations (public domain)
- OSRM drive-time estimates on OpenStreetMap road data (ODbL)
- OpenStreetMap: gas stations, grocery stores and EV chargers (ODbL)
Last checked 1 November 2026.