One of the wildest and finest areas of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range, here you will find gorgeous meadows, black bears and the worlds largest trees. In fact 5 of the top 10 biggest trees in the world (by volume) are in the Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park. But you should be aware of the 17 different ways to pay the Sequoia National Park entrance fee so you can plan ahead and make the smartest choice.

Visitors enjoy a world class experience that mirrors the most visited parks in the United States. If you’re still trying to decide whether or not to visit Sequoia National Park, this short video may help you to decide.

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17 Options for Paying The Sequoia NP Entrance Fee

Good news is that the Sequoia and Kings Canon National Parks entrance fee can be paid by the car load, currently $30 per carload. That’s right, you get 2 National Parks for the price of one.

  1. $30 per vehicle – Non commercial car, pickup, van, RV (7 day pass)
  2. $25 per vehicle – Motorcycle (7 day pass)
  3. $15 per vehicle – Foot, horse, non commercial bus/van greater than 15 seats (7 day pass)
  4. $25 per vehicle + $15 per person – Commercial car up to 6 seats
  5. $75 per vehicle – Commercial van 6 to 15 seats
  6. $1200 per vehicle – Commercial minibus 16-25 seats
  7. $200 per vehicle – Commercial coach over 25 seats
  8. Free – US Military (annual pass) covering active US Military Personnel and their dependents
  9. Free – Disability pass (lifetime pass) for US citizens or permanent residents with permanent disability
  10. $50 per person – Sequoia and Kings Canyon Pass (annual pass)
  11. $80 per person – America The Beautiful (annual pass) covering all National Parks
  12. Free – 4th Grade Pass (annual pass) for 4th grade students and their families
  13. $80 – Senior US citizens or permanent residents 62 or older (lifetime pass)
  14. $20 – Senior US citizens or permanent residents 62 or older (annual pass)
  15. Volunteer Pass – Free for volunteers with 250 hours service in Interagency Pass Program
  16. Free Entrance Days, typically Martin Luther King Jr Day, First day of National Park Week, National Public Lands Day, Veterans Day
  17. Academic Fee Waver – Free for school groups who satisfy a certain curriculum

Note: You should check current park entrance fees on the National Parks Service Fees and Passes Page which may be subject to change.

Sequoia National Park giant sequoia grove
Clarc finds a grove of Giant Sequoias

Which Sequoia National Park Entrance Fee is the Best Value?

3 of these 17 options for paying the Sequoia National Park entrance fee stand out to me as offering the most impressive value.

  1. 4th grade and their family: If your child is in 4th grade you need to cash in on this offer to get the whole family free entrance into National Parks for an entire year! Read all about it at the Every Kid in a Park website.
  2. America the Beautiful Annual Pass: This $80 pass will give you free access for 12 months to over 400 parks run by the National Park Service. Find out all about it at the National Parks Service website.
  3. Active Duty US Military Personnel and their dependents. One thing I do admire about USA is the honour and respect paid to Military Personnel, and this pass is a fine example. Equally admirable is that dependents are also covered. Read all about it here.

The Biggest Tree in the World

It would be terrible if I didn’t even give the famous General Sherman Tree and the Giant Forest a mention. It is after all the biggest tree in the world by volume (living tree). Here are some mind boggling facts for you:

  • General Sherman Tree is the largest known living single stem tree on earth by volume.
  • It is also the largest living organism on the planet, by volume.
  • The height is 275 feet / 84 metres. It is not the highest tree in the world.
  • Circumference around the base is 103 feet / 31 metres.
  • Diameter at the base is 37 feet / 11 metres.
  • Estimated age is 2,300 – 2,700 years.
  • Estimated mass is over 2.7 million pounds.
  • The General Grant Tree in neighbouring Kings Canyon National Park is the second largest tree on earth by volume.
  • The General Sherman Tree is located in the Giant Forest, a stand of some 8,000 Giant Sequoia Trees.
  • 9 of the top 20 biggest Giant Sequoia trees live in the Giant Forest.

Price Hikes

There has been a lot of public comment in the United States regarding entrance fee price hikes in the country’s National Parks.  With potential large price hikes I strongly suggest you check the latest Sequoia National Park entrance fee before your visit. They won’t stay at the current rate forever!


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Sequoia National Park entrance station
Entering Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks from the north

 



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2 COMMENTS

  1. Visited Sequoia and King’s Canyon National Parks for the first time this past Memorial Day weekend and it was just beautiful! Will definitely be back.

    • Top stuff, I do believe you picked the best time of year to visit… snow on the mountains, cool air, bears in the meadows. I hope you do make it back.

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