Whereas forest visits are sometimes considered a summertime exercise, there’s a one-of-a-kind expertise to visiting locations like Sequoia Nationwide Park in winter! This nationwide park is especially well-loved within the chilly months, filled with awe-inspiring views, enjoyable recreation, tenting alternatives, and extra.
Learn on for a roundup of all of the issues to contemplate earlier than you head out to go to and make recollections at Sequoia Nationwide Park in winter.
Sequoia Nationwide Park Winter Recreation
There are many out of doors recreation alternatives to take pleasure in in Sequoia Nationwide Park in winter!
Earlier than inserting any of those actions in your must-do listing, make sure to have a watch on the climate patterns anticipated for the time of your go to. A few of these recreations could also be troublesome or not possible if winter climate impacts the world throughout your keep.
Cross Nation Snowboarding
One of many biggest appeals to visiting Sequoia Nationwide Park in winter is the cross nation snowboarding alternatives! With sufficient snow on the bottom, you possibly can ski by means of a fantastic portion of this nationwide park.
Of explicit draw for skiers are Grant Grove and Large Forest, which give snowboarding trails instantly by means of the towering sequoia groves. This can be a implausible method to behold the breathtaking majesty of those historic bushes at your personal tempo.
Expert and acquainted skiers may even take pleasure in some in a single day ski journeys at Sequoia Nationwide Park. Simply make certain you’re ready for something you may face by checking off a good winter tenting guidelines earlier than you hit the paths for an in a single day snowboarding journey.
Skiers might want to abide by snowboarding pointers when visiting Sequoia Nationwide Park in winter. Snowboarding is prohibited on plowed roads, in residential areas, and wherever delineated by no-skiing indicators.
Winter Climbing and Snowshoeing
Climbing in winter affords a singular alternative to soak in a unique facet of nature’s beautiful magnificence. Such a mountaineering may even be simpler for some people whose physiology could also be extra vulnerable to struggling throughout scorching climate hikes.
There are few locations higher to take pleasure in a chilly season hike than Sequoia Nationwide Park in winter. Relying on the snow layer depth, you possibly can both hike the paths or snowshoe them.
If you’re snowshoeing in Sequoia Nationwide Park, you’ve got the choice of a ranger-guided snowshoe stroll or a self-guided one. On ranger-guided walks, you’ll not must carry your personal snowshoes—however do remember that the minimal age for these walks is 10 years previous because of the common snowshoe dimension.
These ranger-guided walks are reasonably strenuous and supply a implausible alternative to take pleasure in the perfect strolling potential in Sequoia Nationwide Park in winter. They usually start the place there is no such thing as a snow on the bottom and finish as soon as snow circumstances deteriorate an excessive amount of for progress.
With self-guided snowshoeing, you possibly can carry your personal snowshoes or hire them in Grant Grove, and discover the paths by yourself. Simply make sure to observe maps and pointers, keep away from snowshoeing on the ski trails, and make sure to carry your digital camera to seize the fantastic thing about Sequoia Nationwide Park in winter.
Snowplay (Sledding, Snowmen Constructing, Snowboarding, and Extra)
A very fashionable exercise for households of all ages when visiting Sequoia Nationwide Park in winter is snowplay. This includes any form of snow enjoyable that doesn’t require a sporty mindset or essentially strenuous exercise, equivalent to sledding, tubing, snowboarding, constructing snowmen, having snowball fights, and rather more!
There are three designated areas in Sequoia Nationwide Park particularly put aside for snowplay that the entire household can take pleasure in. These areas may be discovered within the areas of Wolverton and Grant Grove, with one space in Wolverton and the opposite two in Grant Grove.
You possibly can hire snowplay gear in these areas and spend hours having enjoyable, making lifelong recollections of your time in Sequoia Nationwide Park in winter! Simply make sure to hold all snowplay out of the close by residential areas.
Stargazing
Sequoia Nationwide Park is a tremendous spot for stargazing in all seasons…and wintertime isn’t any exception! Seize a sturdy pair of binoculars and your thick winter coat and spend a while observing the various constellations which might be clearest at their ascension this time of 12 months.
Benefit from the Holidays
Are you in search of a vacation getaway, whether or not alone, in a gaggle, as a household, or for a small reunion? Many people love to go to Sequoia Nationwide Park in winter to take pleasure in Thanksgiving, Christmas, and extra!
With the John Muir Lodge boasting decadent meals and the festive Common Grant Tree festooned for the vacations annually, Sequoia Nationwide Park is definitely a beautiful place to plan a vacation celebration away from house.
Winter Drives
When you aren’t feeling inclined for many trip within the chilly climate, however you continue to need to take pleasure in the fantastic thing about Sequoia Nationwide Park in winter, then haven’t any worry! Winter drives are the right method to stay heat and toasty, and nonetheless get the perfect of the surroundings that this beautiful nationwide park has to supply.
Hop within the automobile along with your favourite vacation tunes enjoying and a thermos of scorching espresso or cocoa on the prepared, and set off to take pleasure in a drive. When you’re feeling adventurous, you possibly can sort out the drive from the Ash Mountain entrance to Lodgepole.
This drive is an hour and a half every manner, and infrequently requires snow chains even in fall and into early summer season attributable to snow within the higher passes. This route is greatest for drivers who’re skilled with snow, however actually gives a few of the most spectacular driving views in Sequoia Nationwide Park in winter.
A better drive for these not as acquainted or comfy with driving in snow is the drive from Lodgepole to Grant Grove. That is one other breathtaking winter drive, only a bit shorter and simpler. You may as well take the scenic drives from Grant Grove to Hume Lake, or from Fresno to the Large Stump Entrance Station and Grant Grove.
Sequoia Nationwide Park Winter Tenting
The place to Camp
There are a number of year-round campgrounds open at Sequoia Nationwide Park. Nevertheless, it’s at all times essential to examine the standing of those campgrounds 12 months to 12 months, as there are some years the place violent winter storms might injury them, necessitating they be shut down for repairs.
Two fashionable 12 months spherical campgrounds are Potwisha Campground and Azalea Campground. Barring excessive climate, these are sometimes open within the chilly months and make for nice tenting at Sequoia Nationwide Park in winter.
What to Deliver
Whereas it’s essential to have the proper tenting gear in all seasons, in wintertime it’s particularly essential to make sure you have the proper gadgets available and the correct gear to face up to the weather. You’ll want to take a look at our winter tenting guidelines to make sure you have an important gadgets available earlier than you go to Sequoia Nationwide Park in winter!
A number of gadgets you’ll positively need to ensure you have available are chilly climate sleeping baggage, a dependable RV heater in case you are RV tenting, winter clothes equivalent to coats, hats, hand safety, thick socks and durable boots, and the like.
Locations to Keep Exterior Sequoia Nationwide Park
Canine-Pleasant Rental Cabin
When you’re planning a go to to Sequoia Nationwide Park in winter along with your four-legged members of the family, it’s possible you’ll be on the hunt for someplace that’s just a little simpler on human and animal campers alike within the chilly climate.
An ideal possibility on this scenario is that this canine pleasant rental cabin not far exterior Sequoia Nationwide Park. Positioned simply off the freeway, this cabin is definitely accessible even for people unfamiliar with the world, and it supplies a fantastic retreat simply a straightforward drive from the park itself.
With three bedrooms and two loos, this cabin is a implausible possibility for mid-sized households or teams with their animals to settle in and hold heat whereas vacationing to Sequoia Nationwide Park in winter.
Riverfront Cottage
On the lookout for an unforgettable retreat that’s a step up from rustic tenting not removed from Sequoia Nationwide Park? This beautiful riverfront cottage is simply ready for you!
Outfitted with a scorching tub, a totally furnished kitchen, and a gorgeous open-concept design, this riverfront cottage makes for a fantastic retreat after a full day of snowboarding, mountaineering, and snowplay within the nationwide park.
Right here you possibly can loosen up, throw collectively a home-cooked crockpot meal, and benefit from the beautiful views of close by mountains and the breathtaking majesty of this slice of the world. All with the comforts of house proper at your fingertips.
Camp Ikigai at Ikigai Animal Sanctuary
Animal lovers in search of a spot to remain exterior of Sequoia Nationwide Park will benefit from the distinctive tenting expertise obtainable at Camp Ikigai at Ikigai Animal Sanctuary. Along with sharing the land with some lovely animals, campers may take pleasure in on-site guided actions equivalent to mushroom searching, rock accumulating, birdwatching, and extra.
If in case you have a vested curiosity in animal welfare and like to be round four-legged companions, that is the right spot in your tenting wants exterior of Sequoia Nationwide Park in winter.
Sequoia Nationwide Park Winter Security Concerns
Winter Climate
Earlier than you head to Sequoia Nationwide Park in winter, it’s crucial to pay attention to the risky climate circumstances of this area. Snowstorms can strike shortly and inflict a number of injury, closing down roads and inflicting points with the campgrounds, snowboarding trails, and extra.
If you are visiting Sequoia Nationwide Park in winter, make certain you’ve got a method to monitor the winter climate circumstances. Additionally, ensure you have a plan of motion ought to points come up with the climate, so as to hold your self and anybody with you secure and wholesome.
Winter Wildlife
There are a lot of animals which might be energetic all through Sequoia Nationwide Park in winter. This various wildlife spans the gamut from predator animals to prey and might embrace wolves, bears, mountain lions, wolverines, deer, sheep, and extra.
All the time take security precautions, particularly when exploring much less inhabited areas equivalent to by snowshoe or ski path. Carrying a security whistle and wild animal repellent can assist as an added security measure.
Winter Security Abilities
Earlier than heading out to go to Sequoia Nationwide Park in winter, make sure to brush up in your winter security expertise. Be sure you know the best way to sort out issues like superficial frostbite, treating and stopping hypothermia, checking for ice thickness, and constructing a winter fireplace pit.
Wrapping up Your Sequoia Nationwide Park Winter Journey
Are you feeling prepared to go to Sequoia Nationwide Park in winter? Earlier than you are taking off in your journey, make sure to take a look at our roundup of the greatest winter tenting gear! This can assist you guarantee you’ve got every thing you want, from tent tenting to hammock tenting requirements and extra.
