• Giant Sequoia Trees

    Sequoia & Kings Canyon

    National Parks California

  • Road Construction Delays in Sequoia NP through Mid-Aug. (if entering/exiting via Hwy. 198)

    Expect 20-minute to 1-hour delays on weekdays and 20-minute delays on weekends along main road through parks. Weeknight closures with one pass through the construction zone at 11:30 p.m. See link to schedule and map or call 559-565-3341 (press 1, 1, 1,). More »

  • 22-foot Vehicle Length Limit in Sequoia National Park

    Planning to see the "Big Trees" in Sequoia National Park? If you enter/exit via Hwy. 198, all vehicles must be less than 22 feet in length. Even vehicles towing trailers must be less than 22 feet in combined length. Longer vehicles must enter at Hwy. 180. More »

  • Road Conditions in the Parks

    For the latest road and weather conditions, call 559-565-3341 (press 1, 1, 1) More »

Fire Scar Images

Fire record from mid-elevation xeric conifer forest (primarily Jeffrey pine). Fire return intervals in this forest type usually range between 20-50 years (average of about 30 years) on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada.
Fire record from mid-elevation xeric conifer forest (primarily Jeffrey pine). Fire return intervals in this forest type usually range between 20-50 years (average of about 30 years) on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada.
NPS Photo by Anthony Caprio.
 
Record of fires from low elevation ponderosa pine forest with a high frequency fire regime. Between 1809 and 1860, the period prior to EuroAmerican settlement, 19 fires were recorded by this tree.

NPS Photo by Anthony Caprio

Record of fires from low elevation ponderosa pine forest with a high frequency fire regime. Between 1809 and 1860, the period prior to EuroAmerican settlement, 19 fires were recorded by this tree. © Photo by Anthony Caprio.
 
Long interval fire frequency regime from an upper elevation forest composed of red fir, western white pine, and small amounts of lodgepole pine. Fires are typically understory burns in red fir forest although small-to-moderate sized patches of overstory mortality can occur. Red fir trees are moderately tolerant of low intensity fire with larger trees having fairly thick fire resistant bark. In contrast, both western white and lodgepole pine have relatively thin bark that provides poor protection from fire. Thus they gernerally suffer proportionally higher mortality rates than red fir.
Long interval fire frequency regime from an upper elevation forest composed of red fir, western white pine, and small amounts of lodgepole pine. Fires are typically understory burns in red fir forest although small-to-moderate sized patches of overstory mortality can occur.

Red fir trees are moderately tolerant of low intensity fire with larger trees having fairly thick fire resistant bark. In contrast, both western white and lodgepole pine have relatively thin bark that provides poor protection from fire. Thus they gernerally suffer proportionally higher mortality rates than red fir.
Photo by Anthony Caprio

Did You Know?

Sign indicating no pets allowed.

Dogs are not permitted on any park trails or on the summer shuttle, except  service dogs. This allows for more frequent wildlife sightings, ensures that other visitors and wildlife will not be annoyed or frightened by dogs, and saves cleanup on trails. You can take dogs on leashes on US Forest Service trails.