Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

ALERT: The Generals Highway is closed just beyond the Foothills Visitor Center, about a mile inside the entrance gate. This means no access to the big trees on the Sequoia side. No estimated time for opening at this time. Please call 559-565-3341 (dial 1,1) for updates and other road and weather conditions.

Do you consider yourself a tree hugger? What if the tree has nice, soft bark like this? The vibrant red bark of giant sequoias is fibrous and many-layered. If you hold a piece in your hand, if feels like a dry sponge. On an ancient monarch, the bark may be as much as three feet thick at the base of the tree! This is a giant sequoia's first line of defense against fire damage. Next time you meet a sequoia, will you give it a squeeze? :-)... Image: A closeup of the fibrous, red bark of a mature sequoia tree. Photo by Rebecca Paterson

Did you know that Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks range from 1,370 to 14,494 feet in elevation - the largest range of any national park in the lower 48? The temperatures in the parks vary significantly as you gain and lose elevation. Typically, the Giant Forest is 10 to 20 degrees cooler than the foothills. Please pack for varying weather and check the forecast before you come! #PlotYourPath https://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/weather.htm... Image: Three people walking near the base of giant sequoias in the snow. Photo by Rebecca Paterson

Chains are required if you’re heading to the parks this weekend! Call 559-565-3341 (dial 1, 1) for weather and current road conditions before you drive up.

Who's that knock-knock-knocking on your door? We're celebrating #NationalBirdDay with a tip of the hat to the acorn woodpecker, a familiar face in the Sierra Nevada, and perhaps an even more familiar sound! Can you guess where they get their name? Birds play many roles in park ecosystems predator, prey, seed disperser, and pollinator, to name a few. There are about 200 species of birds that use the diverse habitat of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks over the course... of a year! Learn more at https://www.nps.gov/seki/learn/nature/birds.htm Image: An acorn woodpecker perches on a tree trunk covered in holes with acorns poked into them. Photo by Steve Bumgardner

Hey, backpackers! Wilderness permits for the 2021 quota season at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks can be reserved through Recreation.gov starting February 9th at 7 a.m. PST! Recreation.gov will allow permit seekers to see real-time permit availability information, and receive instant confirmation when you make reservations. The 2021 quota season (for overnight trips in the wilderness) runs from May 28 - September 18. ... Can't get the reservation you want? Don't despair! A limited number of first-come, first-served permits will be available daily at permit issuing stations inside the parks. You'll need to get there early in the morning if you're hoping to get a popular permit. Reservations will go live on February 9th at 7 a.m. PST! Until then, you can explore the new system at https://www.recreation.gov/permits/445857/ or go to Recreation.gov and search for "Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness Permits." #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque For need-to-know info and helpful tips to prepare for your backpacking adventure, visit https://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/backpacking.htm

When I was seven or eight years old, I remember I was cruising around the woods with my grandma at the opening of Wuksachi Lodge in the park, and came across a bright red snow plant at the base of a tree. I remember thinking, oh, this plant has a name, and it’s pretty, and it’s really cool. Moments like that are what started me on the path I’m on today. After I finished my degree in environmental science, I bumped around for 5 or 6 years in seasonal jobs. Now I work for the s...Continue reading

More good news to start the year! Both the Moraine Fire and the Rattlesnake Fire were declared 100% contained last week. However, wilderness areas in south Sequoia NP remain closed due to this summer’s fires from impacted trail conditions and hazardous trees. For your safety and ours, please respect these closures. More info at: go.nps.gov/2020sequoiafireclosures NOTE: Both photos were taken at the end of October 2020 and are NOT current fire activity. #RecreateResponsibly

These little squirrels, called chickarees (or douglas squirrels), are common in sequoia forests, and play a role in the reproduction of the big trees! Chickarees harvest and eat the green flesh of sequoia cones while they are still on the tree, releasing seeds to the forest floor. Some of those lucky seeds will become the monarchs of tomorrow! Keep an eye out for a chickaree the next time you're in the parks. Image: A brownish-grey squirrel on a tree branch. Photo by Meredith Peterson

A moment of zen from the foothills of Sequoia National Park! #FindingPeaceInParks Video: NPS/Laura Robey

Well, HELLO there, 2021! We're excited for our #FirstDayHikes in the parks! How are you marking the start of a fresh new year today? Image: A hiker peeks out from behind a giant sequoia with snow at the base. Photo by Rebecca Paterson

COVID-19 UPDATE! In response to the recent stay at home order for the state of California, available services at Sequoia and Kings Canyon have changed, but the parks remain open to visitors. For a full list of changes and detailed information visit our Current Conditions page at go.nps.gov/SEKIconditions before you visit. ENTRANCE TO THE PARKS ... Both entrance stations remain open and staffed, with appropriate COVID-19 mitigations. Make sure to use the park newspaper everyone receives upon entry for trip planning and safety information. FOOD There is no food available for purchase in Sequoia National Park. The Grant Grove Market remains open with a 35% capacity limit. CAMPING Effective at noon tomorrow, December 8th, all park campgrounds will be CLOSED, at least through December 28th. Reservations for Potwisha Campground have been cancelled with a full refund. There will be no campsites available, either by reservation or first come, first served. LODGING All indoor lodging facilities in both parks are closed, at least through December 28th. BACKPACKING/WILDERNESS Overnight backpacking into wilderness areas is still available with a self-issued wilderness permit. Wilderness travelers should be self reliant and prepared for quickly changing mountain weather. Snow and freezing temperatures are likely at this time of year. Backpackers are usually required to hike at least two miles from the trailhead, and in many cases substantially further, before they are permitted to camp. For more information, check our overnight backpacking web page: https://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/backpacking.htm and our wilderness safety videos: https://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/wildernessvideos.htm

For eighteen summers I have lived beneath the Great Red Trees at Giant Forest. During seventeen springs, autumns and winters I have seen the trees in changing mood: in the spring the white blossoms of the dogwood starred against cinnamon boles; in the autumn the dogwood leaves rivalling the Big Tree bark in color. I have seen the General Sherman Tree sleeping beneath ten feet of snow, and with falling snow blotting out all the lesser trees so that the full majesty of the gre...atest of the great was silhouetted against a ghostly background. "Alone, at dusk, at the Sherman Tree or back in the forest far from sounds other than those of nature, I have been alone with the trees, the deer and the squirrels, the blue jays, robins, chickadees and juncos; and have watched night steal upon the forest until all beneath became darkening dusk while the Big Trees still caught the light from the setting sun so that their crowned or rugged summits glinted golden green above the dusk beneath. "To us they are trees of an indescribable majesty. Beneath and around them there is a healing atmosphere, their branches are like cooling hands placed on the harassed brows of hurried men. Let these Trees bear witness that as they have passed through fires and disasters and still stand, so can men rise on ‘stepping stones of their dead selves,’ if they can understand the meaning of the Big Trees. Excerpt from What the Big Trees Mean to Me, by former superintendent Colonel John R. White, August 8th, 1937 #FindingPeaceInParks Image: The red bark of a giant sequoia contrasts against snowy foliage of surrounding trees. Photo by Cristina Martinez

Today is #WorldSoilDay! It's hard to imagine a more fundamental component of the terrestrial world than soil. It's also an unsung hero in a world concerned with climate change - soil stores more carbon than plants and the atmosphere combined! At the elevations of the Sierra Nevada where giant sequoias are found, soil has close relationship with fire. Low-intensity fire, whether ignited naturally by lightning, or intentionally with prescribed burning, creates a mineral-rich seed bed in which seeds readily take root. By springtime, many burned areas will be carpeted with tiny sequoia seedlings!

We had a very wintery weekend in the parks! The sun is out now, but there is ice present on many park roads. The Generals Highway is currently closed to the public above Hospital Rock, and tire chains are required to enter the Grant Grove area via Highway 180. The road that connects the parks is closed. Road closures and chain controls are enacted in response to real-time conditions, so they may change several times throughout a given day! For the most current conditions, call the main park line at (559) 565-3341, dial 1, and then dial 1 again. For more information about winter driving in the parks, visit https://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/winter_driving.htm

In tumultuous times, we can take some comfort in experiences that aren't much changed by time or uncertainty, like a walk among the big trees, listening to the sound of the river, or watching the sun set from Moro Rock. What is your favorite place to seek peace and calm? #FindingPeaceInParks

Some much-needed precipitation is expected in the parks this weekend! Great news, but visitors need to be prepared. Snowy or icy road conditions in the mountains may prompt chain restrictions or closures of some areas. We strongly advise that all visitors carry chains or cables with them this weekend! For more information on winter driving in the parks, visit https://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/winter_driving.htm

Autumn weather allows Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks to lower to Stage 2 fire restrictions. While some areas are able to once again have campfires, the threat is not gone, especially at lower elevations. This year has seen record setting fire activity and until the parks get significant rainfall and snow, visitors to the parks must remain extra cautious with anything that could cause a fire. For information on the specifics of fire restrictions, please visit go.nps.gov/sekifirerestrictions

The days are growing short, but the morning sun is still lovely in the Giant Forest! Make sure to claim a little quiet time for yourself this week.

With containment increasing across area fires, the wilderness closures in Sequoia National Park are being reduced in size to allow for more access. The SQF Complex no longer poses an imminent threat to the Mineral King valley or the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River drainage. The Rattlesnake Fire growth has not shown new growth to the north and east and has slowed overall to the south and west. This change in closure rescinds and replaces the larger closure of area within Sequ...oia National Park in the Kaweah, Tule, and Kern River drainages enacted September 30, 2020. Free wilderness permits are extremely important this time of year due to variable weather conditions. Self-reliance and preparedness for the unexpected is of the utmost importance In the areas that remain closed, hazardous conditions persist within and around the fires, including open flames, smoldering fuels, rolling rocks and logs, tree hazards, and firefighting activities. For more information visit: https://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

Over the past weeks, fire crews have been working to protect Hockett Ranger Station and surrounding area by limiting the Castle Fire’s spread. Ground resources continue to work the northern part of the fire and are reporting increased containment between Homer's Nose and Cahoon Rock. Ground resources are preparing trails and connecting natural barriers to prevent northerly fire growth towards Horse Creek. Structure wrap remains in place on the Kern Ranger Station, Hockett ...Ranger Stations, and private structures in the Kern River Canyon. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are grateful for all the hard work and dedication by these firefighters in what seems like a never-ending fire year. #FireYear2020 #HistoricProtection

If you've spent any time in the Sierra foothills, you are probably familiar with our charismatic state bird, the California Quail. Its stiffly accented "Chi-CA-go!" (o en español, "cui-DA-do!") call is a common sound of the chaparral and other brushy areas of California, and its distinctive head plume lends it an undeniable panache! Photo: Gary Lindquist

As of September 19th we are outside of the permit quota season. Permits are still required for all overnight wilderness travel, but they can be self-issued at self-issue stations located throughout the parks. With limited wilderness staff to discuss backpacking itineraries and current conditions; make sure to check weather reports, check for any closures and be prepared for rapidly changing conditions. Self-reliance is of the utmost importance during this time. Also, remember that bears are still active so be sure to store your food properly always and carry SEKI approved food-storage containers with you when traveling in food-storage container required areas of the parks. You can find the full list of rules and regulations that help keep you safe and the wilderness wild here: https://www.nps.gov//plany/minimum-impact-restrictions.htm

As we approach the end of the spookiest month of the year, we join the world in celebrating #BatWeek! Here in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, we have SEVENTEEN species of bats, the world's only flying mammals! Our local bats are hardly the fearsome menace of Halloween lore - indeed, they pollinate, eat insects, and in general are wonderful members of the community! It's hard for bats to produce enough lift to fly from the ground, so they'll often climb and then fall into flight, as this #BigBrownBat did after climbing part way up a pine tree in Cedar Grove!

FIRE UPDATE: With the decrease in fire activity in the South Fork Area of Sequoia National Park, fire staff want to share pictures of how the South Fork Campground and near-by trailhead areas remain intact due to the firefighting efforts to contain the Castle Fire part of the SQF Complex. The area remains closed to the public due to the ongoing work by fire crews. Thank you for enjoying other parts of the parks at this time. For more information on the SQF Complex, please visit: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7048/ #2020Fires #SQFComplex #SequoiaNP

Check out this video of how the Mineral King Valley and area are being defended by firefighters working in the mountains to the south up high on the SQF Complex. (You'll see a helicopter making a retardant drop way in the distance.) The area remains closed due to the ongoing work by fire crews. For more info: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7048/ #2020Fires #SQFComplex #SequoiaNP

Discovered as a lightning-caused fire on August 16, the Rattlesnake Fire continues to burn within the Kern River drainage inside Sequoia National Park. Currently showing minimal activity. While the fire is over 6,800 acres in size and 40% contained, there is no threat to life or property at this time as it’s within designated wilderness. Here’s a unique view from yesterday’s overflight via the parks’ helicopter monitoring the progress of the fire. The park is using a confin...e and contain full-suppression strategy utilizing natural rock features, existing trails, and other natural barriers as containment lines. Not only does this limit exposure to firefighters and minimizes impacts in the wilderness, it allows firefighting resources to be available to battle other wildfires across the area and state that have a greater threat to life and property. For more information on the Rattlesnake Fire, please visit: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7131/

If you're planning to travel through Sequoia and Kings Canyon in the coming weeks, please be aware that there may be traffic delays of 5-60 minutes depending on the area. These delays are associated with road construction along the northern end of the Generals Highway, hazard tree removal on Highway 180 and the Generals Highway in the Grant Grove area, and one-lane traffic across bridges in Cedar Grove. For complete details please visit our website www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/road-construction.htm.