Large amounts of snow keep a Lodgepole Campground in Sequoia National Park closed

SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (KFSN) -- Lodgepole Campground was supposed to open next week, but there is still a high accumulation of snow in the area.

Rangers are planning to allow visitors in once the powder has melted closer to asphalt level.

"We have 153% snowpack which is quite a bit of snow. It's definitely slowing us down," said Sintia Kawasaki-Yee.

Park rangers have plans to open Lodgepole next month, weather permitting.

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"Our tentative date to open Lodgepole is May 22nd," Kawasaki-Yee said. "We are onboarding a lot of our seasonal tree crew hoping they can make that a priority."

Many travelers arrived Monday surprised to find areas near Lodgepole with six to ten feet of snow this late in the season

"I'm surprised it's still iced because, obviously, it's so warm in the rest of California," said visitor Alex Falconer. "It's freezing back home in Scotland, but we don't get as much snow."

Other campgrounds in the foothills area of Sequoia National Park remain open.

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"We have Buckeye campground and Potwisha, so we recommend those. They are walk-up campgrounds, Kawasaki-Yee said. "Buckeye has more availability, and Potwisha fills up sooner on the weekends."

Entrance fees into Sequoia will be waived Saturday, it's also Junior Ranger Day, as the park kicks off National Parks Week.

For more information, you can check in with the visitors center.