• Giant Sequoia Trees

    Sequoia & Kings Canyon

    National Parks California

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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 Conditions (Entire Park) and Road Construction Delays (if Entering/Exiting Hwy. 198)

    Expect 20-minute to 1-hour construction delays on main road through parks (Generals Hwy) until Memorial Day weekend (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.

Wilderness Stewardship Plan

Whaleback in southern Kings Canyon National Park
Whaleback in southern Kings Canyon National Park is an excellent example of the stunning scenery seen only by those who venture into the park wilderness.
J. Warner Photo
 

What does wilderness mean to you? What do you want to see-or not see-when you travel in the wilderness?

We will be developing a plan for how to oversee use and protection of the park wilderness, and we are looking for your input.

When the Wilderness Stewardship Plan is written, it will establish both a philosophy and criteria for making specific decisions about how we all use the wilderness.

The Wilderness Act of 1964 provides the basic standards for care-taking in all units of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Wilderness designation requires higher standards for protection than applies to other park land.

Over 808,000 acres, some 93.4% of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, was designated as Wilderness as part of the 1984 California Wilderness Act. And an additional 30,000 acres (roughly 2.5%)of these parks are managed as wilderness per National Park Service policies.

Public input has identified a number of topics for a new wilderness plan to address, such as use of campfires, signs, and trails. For each topic, park staff will develop a range of alternative ways of dealing with each issue.

If you would like more information on this project, please visit http://parkplanning.nps.gov/sekiwild.

  • Trail Descriptions Trail Descriptions

    Explore descriptions of some main park trails. Read More

  • Trail Conditions Trail Conditions

    Information available on current trail conditions. Read More

  • Wilderness Information Wilderness Information

    Plan a trip into the parks' spectacular wilderness. Read More

  • Keeping Your Food from Bears Keeping Your Food from Bears

    You MUST store your food here. It saves bears. Here's how! Read More

Did You Know?

Toppled sequoia tree.

Sequoias get so large because they grow fast over a long lifetime. They live so long because they are resistant to many insects and diseases, and because they can survive most fires. Sequoias do have a weakness — a shallow root system. The main cause of death among mature sequoias is toppling.