The Sequoia Shuttle is back in operation for the travel season.
The service that takes riders from locations in Visalia, Lemon Cove and Three Rivers into Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, started its annual seasonal schedule on May 22.
The Sequoia Shuttle is offering a quicker trip to and from the park this year by reducing the number of pick-up locations.
“We took out a couple of stops just to streamline our service, and make it a more convenient ride,” explained Marla Bermudez, Visalia community outreach coordinator. “The less stops, the more ability for travelers to get to the park faster, and it not seem like they can get to the park quicker if they were to drive their own car.
“We hope that will attract more passengers, which then reduces the influx of vehicles within the park itself and reduces parking,” she added.
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This year, the cost of a round-trip ticket has been lowered from $20 per rider to $15, with a discounted rate of $12 per person for groups of six or more. The shuttles hold 16 passengers and are wheelchair-accessible.
“All of our Sequoia Shuttles are ADA-compliant,” she said. “We hold two wheelchairs at a time, and we have that listed on our website as a selection. It asks, ‘Is there a wheelchair or a bike?’”
Free internal shuttles inside the park will loop continuously between major park destinations, with the Wuksachi Lodge route only operating on Saturdays and Sundays.
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Sequoia Shuttles start their departures from the Wyndham Hotel in Visalia at 6 a.m. and 8 a.m., and pick-up times will vary depending on where passengers start their trip. The ride takes approximately an hour and 45 minutes, according to Bermudez.
“There is a stop at the Foothills Visitor Center where everyone stops for a bathroom break,” she said, adding that shuttles return from the park at 4 and 5:30 p.m.
“Reservations are required 90 minutes before your trip, and that is because we need to print out the manifest for our drivers,” Bermudez said. “That ensures that we don’t leave anyone behind in the park.”
She added that the shuttle will not make a particular stop if nobody has made a reservation to start their trip from that location.
Riders on the shuttles are required to have a national park entrance pass (standard seven-day entrance pass, annual pass, etc.) before entering Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Entrance passes are available at Recreation.gov.
Bermudez said that even though the website has not been updated from last year, reservations can still be made on the site. She expects the website to be updated by the first week of June.
For reservations or additional information, visit www.sequoiashuttle.com or call 1-877-BUS-HIKE.
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Sequoia Shuttle returns for the 2025 travel season