Wilderness Permit ConditionsStock use:Traveling, camping, and grazing with stock (horses, mules, burros, or llamas). Closed to grazing:Open to travel and camping with stock provided that animals are confined on a hardened surface and given substitute feed. Day use only: Open to stock travel, but animals may not graze or stay overnight. Closed to stock:Closed to all stock access. Grazing subject to opening dates and mid-season closures. Confine and feed animals properly if not grazing. Keep animals out of wet areas. Maximum overnight party size is 15 people, 20 head of stock, with no more than 28 combined unless otherwise stated. Maximum party size for day use is 20 people, 20 stock, with a combined maximum of 40 unless otherwise stated. Except in designated off-trail areas, stock travel is restricted to within ½ mile of maintained trails in areas open to camping with stock, and within 100 yards of trails in areas open to day use only. Keep your camp compact and unobtrusive. Do not build or improve fire rings or campsite “furniture”. No camping within 25 ft. of water. From 25 to 100 ft. from water, camping is only allowed in previously well-established campsites. You are required to remove and scatter all manure piles from within 100 feet of the campsite to reduce odors and insect problems, and to maintain the appearance of the site. Carry a rake to fill in pawed-up areas. Tie to trees only when packing or unpacking stock. Never tie to trees smaller than 6” in diameter. Water stock downstream from campsites. Do not let stock urinate or defecate directly into water sources. If your stock dies in the wilderness, assure that a ranger is notified as soon as possible for help in properly disposing of the animal. Dead stock must be moved at least 300 feet from trails, campsites, and water within 72 hours of death. Minimize gear and number of stock to minimize impacts to the wilderness. All wheeled vehicles, and all motorized equipment are prohibited in wilderness per the Wilderness Act of 1964. 2024 Temporary Wilderness Stock Use and Grazing RestrictionsApril 12, 2024 The following temporary closures, use limits, and permit conditions for the use of stock have been established by the Superintendent for resource protection under the authority in 36 CFR 1.5 and 2.16. Unless otherwise restricted, stock parties may camp in areas that are temporarily closed to grazing but are required to either hold and feed their animals or graze them in other sites in the area that are open to grazing.
Restrictions for Specific AreasSequoia National ParkLakes Trail
Day use only: Hump, Heather, Emerald, and Pear Lakes Trails. Closed to stock: Watchtower Trail. Frontcountry Trails Day use only: Panther Gap, Alta Peak and Meadow, and Big Baldy Trails. Closed to stock: Little Baldy, Muir Grove, Lost Grove, Admiration Point spur, Paradise Creek, Marble Falls, and Tokopah Falls trails. Giant Forest/Lodgepole All paved trails closed to stock. Closed to stock: High Sierra Trail from Crescent Meadow to Wolverton Cutoff. Hamilton Lakes Basin Closed to grazing. Redwood Meadow The upper (southern) portion of the meadow is open to administrative use only. Lower (northern) portion is open to grazing with 15 head limit. Monarch Lakes Trail
Closed to stock. Mineral, Mosquito, Eagle, and White Chief Lakes Basins. Day use only for parties with horses and mules, open to camping by walking parties with burros or llamas. Closed to grazing. Oriole Lake Day use only. Franklin and Farewell Trails Closed to grazing. Hockett Plateau Areas > 0.5 mi from trail open to off-trail stock use: Party size limit of 12 people, 12 stock, with a combined maximum of 14. Hockett Ranger Station Pasture Administrative use only. Mitchell Meadow Closed to grazing. Summit Lake Meadow Closed to grazing. Ladybug/Whiskey Log Trail Day use only. Areas > 0.5 mi from trail
Open to off-trail stock use: Party size limit of 12 people, 12 stock, with a combined maximum of 14. Forester Lake Meadow Closed to grazing. Chagoopa Plateau #3 Meadow Closed to grazing. Kern Hot Springs
Small meadow immediately adjacent to hot springs is closed to grazing. Lewis Camp and Kern Ranger Station Small Pasture Administrative use only. Kern Headwaters/Lake S. Am.
Closed to grazing by horses and mules, open to grazing by walking parties with burros or llamas. Lake S. America Col Mdw Meadow one mile south of Lake South America closed to grazing. Bighorn Plateau Bighorn Plateau Lake and small meadow 0.6 mi south of lake are closed to grazing. Wright Cr Class 1 trail day use only above 11,200’. Wright Cr Closed Mdw Side drainage in east-central Wright Lakes Basin closed to grazing. Wallace Cr Class 1 trail day use only above 11,200’. Wallace Cr Waterfall Mdw Six head, one night grazing limit. Wallace Cr Closed Mdw Meadow at 11,180’ closed to grazing. Crabtree RS Meadow
Closed to grazing. Timberline Lake Day use only. JMT from Crabtree R.S. to base of Mt. Whitney switchbacks Day use only for parties with horses and mules, open to camping by walking parties with burros or llamas (except Timberline Lake, which is day use only for all parties. Closed to grazing. Mt. Whitney Trail Closed to stock from one mile above Guitar Lake and above. Sandy Meadow 10 head grazing limit. Upper Crabtree Meadow 10 head grazing limit. Lower Crabtree Meadow Closed to grazing. Lower Whitney Crk./Strawberry Open to grazing by private parties only. Crabtree Lakes Closed to stock above the hitch rail located 0.5 mile below the lowest lake. Mt. Langley Trail
Class 1 trail closed to stock. Upper Soldier Lakes Trail Class 1 trail closed to stock. Miter Basin Class 1 trail open to day-use only above Penned Up Meadow with a party size limit of 8 people and stock combined. Closed to stock above 11,300 ft elevation. Upper Rock Creek Two night grazing limit for Rock Creek Lake and above: Penned Up, Lower Soldier Lake, New Army Pass Junction, and Rock Creek Lake and Stringer Meadows. Lower Soldier Lake Open to grazing by private parties only. Two night grazing limit. Rock Cr Meadow #2 Meadow between drift fence and Rock Creek Lake closed to grazing. Rock Cr RS Meadow Area adjacent to ranger station closed to grazing. Guyot Creek Closed to grazing. Kings Canyon National ParkUpper Goddard Canyon
Day use only from one mile above Hell-for-Sure Trail Junction to Martha Lake. Party size limit of 12 people, 12 stock, with a combined maximum of 14. McClure Meadow Closed to grazing until Evolution and Colby Meadows reach capacity. 1 night grazing limit. Colby Meadow 1 night grazing limit. Darwin Meadow Darwin Meadow Proper closed to grazing. The “pocket meadows” in the forested area to the north and west of Darwin Meadow Proper are open to grazing with a 1 night grazing limit. Lake 11,106’ Class 1 trail open to stock for day use only but probably impassable. Darwin Bench & Canyon Class 1 trail closed to stock. Evolution Basin Closed to grazing by horses and mules from Evolution Lake to Muir Pass; 1 night grazing limit for walking parties with burros or llamas. Upper LeConte
Canyon Closed to grazing above 10,000’ elevation. Big Pete Meadow Forested peat area west of meadow is closed to grazing. Dusy Basin Day use only. Grouse Meadow Closed to grazing. Upper Blue Canyon Area Day use only.Closed to stock above 10,000 ft elevation. Kettle Dome/Randle Corral Closed to grazing. Areas > 0.5 mi from trail
Open to off-trail stock use: Party size limit of 12 people, 12 stock, with a combined maximum of 14. Shorty’s Meadow Two night grazing limit. Granite Lake Closed to grazing. Redwood Canyon
Day use only: Party size limit of 10 people, 10 stock, with a combined maximum of 20. Buena Vista Trail Day use only Taboose Pass Area
Open to grazing except for the 12 acre wet section of meadow at 11,000 ft which is closed to grazing. Woods Lake Basin Closed to grazing by horses and mules, grazing allowed for walking groups with burros or llamas. Woods Lake shoreline closed to grazing. Woods Creek Crossing The meadows on the south side of Woods Creek Crossing are closed to grazing. Castle Domes Meadow 15 head, 1 night grazing limit. Paradise Valley Closed to grazing up to the Lower Castle Domes drift fence. Baxter Pass Trail Closed to stock. JMT - Dollar Lk to Glen Pass, including Rae Lakes Basin and Sixty Lakes Basin Day use only. Stock travel limited to the first 1.8 miles from the JMT with no stock travel beyond this point. Party size limit of 8 people and stock combined. S. Side Cedar Grove Sand Flats Closed to stock. Lower Bubbs Creek
Closed to grazing by horses and mules below Junction Meadow. One night grazing limit for walking parties with burros or llamas. Junction Meadow (Bubbs Creek) 15 head, 1 night grazing limit. East Lake Meadow 12 head, 2 night grazing limit. Closed to grazing below the drift fence, including the lake shore meadows. Upper junction Meadow (66-3.2) closed as of 7/15/2022 Lake Reflection Class 1 trail open to stock for day use only but probably impassable. JMT - Glen Pass to Vidette Mdw Day use only. Kearsarge/Bullfrog Lakes Basin Day use only. Charlotte Lake Meadows Day use only. Meadows immediately above and below Charlotte Lake closed to grazing. Charlotte Creek Meadow Two night grazing limit below the drift fence west of (below) Charlotte Lake. Vidette Meadow Closed to grazing. Upper Vidette Meadow Open to grazing by private parties only. Center Basin Class 1 trail open to stock for day use only. Areas > 0.5 mi from trail
Open to off-trail stock use: Party size limit of 12 people, 12 stock, with a combined maximum of 14. JR Pasture/Allen Camp Administrative use only. Lackey Pasture Administrative use only. Scaffold Meadow Tourist Pasture 15 head, 2 night grazing limit. Ellis Meadows Closed to grazing. Seville Lake Closed to grazing. |
Last updated: April 12, 2024