• Giant Sequoia Trees

    Sequoia & Kings Canyon

    National Parks California

There are park alerts in effect.
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  • Changes to Some Opening/Closing Dates for Services and Facilities – Check Back for Updates

    Some of the opening/closing dates for facilities and visitor services in the parks have changed due to weather and/or other circumstances. See link for details and match to locations on the park map (under "Park Tools," bottom left, this page). More »

  • Road Construction Delays (if Entering/Exiting Hwy. 198)

    Expect minimal construction delays on main road through parks (Generals Hwy) through June 2013 on weekdays generally from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. See link for schedule. Call for 24-hour road conditions info: 559-565-3341 (press 1, 1, 1). More »

  • Vehicle Length Limits Have Changed in Sequoia NP (if Entering/Exiting Hwy 198)

    Planning to see the "Big Trees" in Sequoia National Park? If you enter/exit via Hwy. 198, please pay close attention to new vehicle length advisories for your safety and the safety of others. More »

  • You May Have Trouble Calling Us. Use the "Contact Us" Link (Bottom Left) to Send an E-mail.

    We are experiencing technical problems receiving some incoming phone calls at the parks. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please keep trying to reach us or check this website for frequently-asked questions. The search box (top, right) may be helpful.

  • Prescribed Fires Planned at Ash Mountain/Sequoia National Park (Parks' South Entrance)

    Fire crews will be working on hazard fuel reduction project at Ash Mountain (south entrance) starting May 23. There are nine small burn segments near the south entrance. The fire may be visible from the road and will produce smoke for very short periods.

Laws & Policies

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park Regulations
The Superintendent's Compendium (PDF) is a compilation of designations, closures, permit requirements, and other restrictions made by the superintendent, in addition to what is contained in Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations (Parks, Forest, and Public Property, Chapter 1, National Park Service, Department of the Interior), and other applicable federal statutes and regulations.

Weapons and Firearms
As of February 22, 2010, a new federal law allows people who can legally possess firearms under applicable federal, state, and local laws, to legally possess firearms in this park.

As of January 1, 2013, California law prohibits the open carry of any firearm within the parks. Persons otherwise permitted to possess firearms (in general) may possess a concealed firearm with a valid permit to carry a concealed firearm (CCW) from California. A CCW from another state does not apply.

Weapons (including, but not limited to, BB, Pellet and Paint Guns, Bow/Arrow, Slingshots, Bear Spray and other compressed gas irritant devices) are illegal to possess.

Discharge of a firearm or weapon is prohibited within Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

Federal law also prohibits firearms in certain facilities in this park; those places are marked with signs at all public entrances. This also applies to concealed firearms with a valid CCW.

It is the responsibility of visitors to understand and comply with all applicable state, local, and federal firearms laws before entering this park. As a starting point, please visit the State of California Penal Code web site (see Part 6 - Control of Deadly Weapons).

Did You Know?

Walter Fry in NPS uniform

After spending five days with five men cutting down a single sequoia, Walter Fry counted the growth rings on the fallen giant. The answer shocked him into changing careers. In just a few days they had ended 3266 years of growth. Fry later became a park ranger and, in 1912, the parks' superintendent.