Kings Canyon National Park
Description of Kings Canyon National Park
Location: Fresno county, CA Map
Area: 462,901 acres (187,329 ha)
Official site
Kings Canyon National Park is situated in Fresno county, California in United States. Kings Canyon National Park covers a total area of 462,901 acres (187,329 ha). The former General Grant National Park, created in 1890 to protect General Grant Grove from giant sequoias, is part of that park.Kings Canyon National Park is to the north of the Sequoia National Park and is contiguous to it. The National Park Service manages both jointly.
History
White colonists knew the Kings Canyon
from the mid-nineteenth century but it was not until John Muir
visited the site in 1873 that the canyon became the object of
attention. Muir was delighted by the resemblance of the canyon to
Yosemite Valley, reinforcing his theory about the origin of both
valleys that at that time competed with the most accepted of the
time, that of Josiah Whitney, who claimed that the spectacular
mountain valleys had formed by the action of earthquakes. Muir's
theory proved to be correct later: both valleys had been carved by
huge glaciers during the last ice age.
The then Secretary of
the Interior of the United States, Harold Ickes, fought to create
the national park. He hired Ansel Adams to photograph and document
this and other parks, which led in large part to the approval of the
bill in March 1940 that combined General Grant Grove with the virgin
areas beyond the Zumwalt Creek.
The future of the Kings
Canyon National Park was in doubt for almost fifty years. There was
a project to build a dam at the western end of the valley, which
many people opposed. The debate was settled in 1965 when the valley,
along with the Tehipite Valley, was added to Kings Canyon National
Park.
Fees and permits
The park entrance fee is $20 for private vehicles
and $5 for individuals on foot or on bike, and is valid for seven
days in both Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
There
are several passes for groups traveling together in a private
vehicle or individuals on foot or on bike. These passes provide free
entry at national parks and national wildlife refuges, and also
cover standard amenity fees at national forests and grasslands, and
at lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of
Reclamation. These passes are valid at all national parks including
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks:
The $80 Annual Pass
(valid for twelve months from date of issue) can be purchased by
anyone. Military personnel can obtain a free annual pass in person
at a federal recreation site by showing a Common Access Card (CAC)
or Military ID.
U.S. citizens or permanent residents age 62 or
over can obtain a Senior Pass (valid for the life of the holder) in
person at a federal recreation site for $80, or through the mail for
$90; applicants must provide documentation of citizenship and age.
This pass also provides a fifty percent discount on some park
amenities. Seniors can also obtain a $20 annual pass.
U.S.
citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities can
obtain an Access Pass (valid for the life of the holder) in person
at a federal recreation site at no charge, or through the mail for
$10; applicants must provide documentation of citizenship and
permanent disability. This pass also provides a fifty percent
discount on some park amenities.
Individuals who have volunteered
250 or more hours with federal agencies that participate in the
Interagency Pass Program can receive a free Volunteer Pass.
4th
graders can receive an Annual 4th Grade Pass that allows free entry
for the duration of the 4th grade school year (September-August) to
the bearer and any accompanying passengers in a private
non-commercial vehicle. Registration at the Every Kid in a Park
website is required.
In 2018 the National Park Service will offer
four days on which entry is free for all national parks: January 15
(Martin Luther King Jr. Day), April 21 (1st Day of NPS Week),
September 22 (National Public Lands Day), and November 11 (Veterans
Day weekend).