Official Opening of Seasonal Recreation and Visitor Services Signals Summer Fun in Sequoia National Park

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SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, Calif., June 14 /PRNewswire/ -- After a bountiful winter of above average snowfall in Sequoia National Park, Mother Nature is rewarding us with spectacular high country scenic beauty. In addition to warm, sunny temperatures, wildflower covered meadows and cascading waterfalls, the advent of summer in the park signals availability of numerous seasonal recreational activities and visitor services.

Some of the most popular seasonal highlights include:

Authentic Western-Style Barbecue Dinner at Wolverton Meadow

Each Wednesday through Sunday, June 17 through September 5, the popular "Dinner with a Ranger" is held in the beautiful outdoor setting of Wolverton Meadow. An all-you-can-eat traditional western-style barbecue is followed by an interpretive program such as a campfire sing-a-long, meadow nature walk, wildlife talk or living history presentation, conducted by a National Park Service Ranger. Cost for the barbeque dinner/program is $18.95 for adults and $9.95 for children 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased at the Wuksachi Lodge or Lodgepole Market.

Visitor Planning Tips from a Ranger

Each morning from 9:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m., June 17 through September 5, a National Park Service Ranger will be available in the Wuksachi Lodge lobby offering advice to help visitors plan their day and get the most out of their park visit.

Saturday Evening Interpretive Programs

Each Saturday evening from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., an illustrated program will be held at Wuksachi Lodge, conducted by a National Park Service Ranger. The programs are free of charge and will cover a variety of subjects related to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

Giant Forest Museum

Open daily with free admission, the popular Giant Forest Museum features fascinating exhibits and hands-on displays that celebrate the life of a Giant Sequoia tree. A fully accessible meadow trail loop begins at the Museum's entrance.

Crystal Cave

Open during summer months only, the exquisite Crystal Cave is available for guided tours daily. Guests can opt for a 45-minute or expanded 2-hour Discovery Tour. Tickets must be purchased in advance, and are available at the Lodgepole or Foothills Visitor Center.

Visitor Centers

Visitor centers are open daily offering educational exhibits, maps and books, backcountry wilderness permits, ranger-guided nature and history walks and Junior Ranger programs.

Bearpaw High Sierra Camp

A scenic backcountry tent hotel, serving 18 hikers with comfortable overnight accommodations, hot showers and country-style meals, Bearpaw High Sierra Camp is situated 11.5 miles into the forest with spectacular views. In operation continuously since 1934, this unique camping adventure is available only with advance reservations.

Hiking

With 25 trailheads leading to more than 800 miles of marked trails, Sequoia is a hiker's heaven. Eighty-percent of the park is accessible only by foot trails and favorite hikes include the many grove trails winding around more than 500 commanding Giant Sequoias, including the largest living tree in the world -- the General Sherman Tree in the Giant Forest. Sequoia also houses the highest point in the contiguous United States -- Mount Whitney. The quarter-mile walk to the top of Moro Rock gives an unforgettable view of the Great Western Divide and its verdant canyons.

Picnicking

A host of picnic areas re-open throughout the park featuring tables, restrooms, fire grills, and drinking water. Crescent Meadow is a favorite visitor picnicking location.

Modern Guest Lodging

Located in the heart of Sequoia National Park, the 102-room Wuksachi Lodge features a panoramic mountain setting, a full-service restaurant, lounge, retail shop, and 1,320 square feet of meeting space. Furnishings reflect an upscale, natural decor highlighting native granite rock, oak, cedar, and hickory woods. Guest amenities include televisions, telephones with computer data ports, mini-refrigerators, coffee makers, daily maid service, and ample complimentary self-parking.

Visitors can make "real-time" lodging reservations online at http://www.visitsequoia.com/, as well as obtain the latest park news, road and weather information. Reservations can also be made by calling toll-free 888- 252-5757.

The Wuksachi Lodge is operated by Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, one of the nation's leading hospitality management companies, under contract with the National Park Service.

About Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts

Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, Inc., a subsidiary of Buffalo, N.Y.-based Delaware North Companies, is a leading hospitality provider with significant experience in hotel, retail, food service, recreation and transportation operations. The company's portfolio includes some of the unique properties in North America, including Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Yosemite, Sequoia and Yellowstone National Parks, Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite, Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa near Vancouver, British Columbia, Niagara Falls State Park, Robert Moses and Captree State Parks, Deer Creek Resort & Conference Center, the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia and Denver, The Lodge & Conference Center at Geneva State Park, Ohio and The Balsams Resort in New Hampshire's White Mountains.

Public Information: 888-252-5757; Web Site: http://www.visitsequoia.com/

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