As fire once again sweeps through the American West, an interagency report formally released today estimates that 7,500 to 10,600 large giant sequoias were killed in last year’s Castle Fire. This represents 10-14% of large sequoias in the world. Today, the agencies united by stewardship of giant sequoias are officially coming together in partnership, under the new Giant Sequoia Lands Coalition, to […]
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
Posted inCalifornia
High-Elevation Misstep Results in Fatality in Sequoia National Park
A Memorial Day hike ended with a mountaineering accident yesterday, when a 56-year-old man from San Jose, CA, one member of a three-person hiking group, fell approximately 500 feet from the summit ridge of Mount Russell, on the eastern boundary of Sequoia National Park. One of his hiking partners, a 45-year-old woman from Milpitas, CA, […]
Posted inCalifornia
Missing Hiker Found Alive in Mount Whitney Area
SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, Calif. May 23, 2021 – A high-elevation search and rescue operation ended happily this evening when ground searchers successfully located missing hiker Edward Lee Alderman, 33, in the vicinity of Timberline Lake, several miles west of the summit of Mount Whitney. Mr. Alderman is reported to be alert, despite […]
Posted inCalifornia
Search Underway for Texas Man Last Seen at Summit of Mount Whitney
SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, Calif. May 22, 2021 – A search is underway in the Mount Whitney area for Edward Lee Alderman, 33, of Austin, Texas. Mr. Alderman set out from Whitney Portal to summit Mount Whitney in the early morning hours on Thursday, May 20. The last confirmed sighting of Mr. Alderman […]
Posted inLife
Wilderness Permit Reservations for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Moving to Recreation.gov
SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, Calif. December 1, 2020 — Beginning in 2021, overnight visitors to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks wilderness areas will be able to make their quota season wilderness permit reservations using the website Recreation.gov. This will replace the old system, by which reservations were submitted by email and processed manually. Recreation.gov provides trip planning and reservation services for public lands nationwide, and using it for wilderness […]
Posted inCalifornia
Kings Canyon National Park to Close Due to Significant Smoke Impacts and Hazardous Air Quality
SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, California September 17, 2020– Kings Canyon National Park announces that the park will close to all visitors due to significant smoke impacts and hazardous air quality throughout the park. The park entrance station, facilities and parking lots will close beginning at 5:00 p.m. tonight, Thursday, September 17, 2020. Sequoia […]
Posted inCalifornia
Sequoia National Park Closes in Response to Castle Fire
SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, Calif. September 14, 2020 – Sequoia National Park is implementing a full park closure at 6 am on September 15 in response to the Castle Fire on the SQF Complex. Many park staff have been evacuated from the area and for visitor and resource protection, park managers have decided […]
Posted inCalifornia
California condors spotted in Sequoia National Park, first time in nearly half a century
SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, Calif. July 7, 2020 – Recently reintroduced endangered California condors continue to reoccupy parts of their historic range, including the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California and adjacent foothills. Condors were seen atop Moro Rock, a popular hiking destination in Sequoia National Park, in late May. They are back to […]
Posted inLife
Sequoia Parks Conservancy Announces 2019 Christmas Bird Count in Sequoia National Park
Three Rivers, CA, December 9, 2019 – Sequoia Parks Conservancy is excited to announce the 120th Annual Christmas Bird Count in Sequoia National Park on December 14, 2019.Each year, tens of thousands of volunteers across North America take part in the Christmas Bird Count, a massive citizen-science project. The data collected in this wildlife census […]
Posted inCalifornia
Mississippi Woman Found Alive and in Stable Condition in Sequoia Natl. Park
SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, California October 28, 2019 – Mary Joanna Gomez from Mississippi was found alive and in stable condition by National Park Service personnel on the afternoon of October 28th and has been in contact with her family and will be reunited with them shortly. She was found off trail about […]
Posted inCalifornia
Missing Hiker Found on North Slope of Mt. Whitney in Sequoia National Park
SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, Calif. June 19, 2019 – The body of missing hiker Ling Dao was located Tuesday afternoon on the north side of Mt. Whitney in Sequoia National Park and transported to the Ash Mountain Helibase in Sequoia National Park, where he was turned over to the Tulare County Coroner’s Office. […]
Posted inCalifornia
Heavy Sierra snow and structure damage prompt closure of Bearpaw High Sierra Camp in Sequoia National Park for 2019 season
SEQUOIA & KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, Calif. – June 17, 2019 – The Bearpaw High Sierra Camp in Sequoia National Park will remain closed and will not open for the 2019 season due to damage to tent cabin structures as a result of above-average snowpack and delayed access for pack animals critical for repairs and […]
Posted inCalifornia
Sequoia Parks Conservancy announces Crystal Cave tours for visitors who are deaf or have hearing loss
This is a photo showing the entrance to Crystal Cave.Photo by Alison Taggart-Barone Three Rivers, CA May 1, 2019 – Sequoia Parks Conservancy and the National Park Service are excited to announce the completion of tours for visitors who are deaf or have hearing loss. The Conservancy and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks worked […]
Posted inCalifornia
Lodgepole Campground in Sequoia National Park Season Opening Will Be Delayed
SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, California (April 15, 2019) – Due to the heavy snow pack and the abundance of hazard trees in Lodgepole Campground, the Lodgepole Campground will not open next week as scheduled. This very popular campground will remain closed until May 22. This campground closure includes reservations, walk ups and the […]
Posted inRegional
Search for Missing US Marine in Central Sierra Nevada Moves to Limited Continuous Mode
CENTRAL SIERRA NEVADA, Calif. March 16, 2019 – A massive multiagency search in the Sierra Nevada has been underway for more than a week to locate missing U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Matthew Kraft, a 24-year-old man from Washington, Conn. Kraft set out on a solo ski and hike trip on Feb. 24 with an […]
Posted inCalifornia
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Resume Full Operations on Tuesday
SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS,California January 28, 2019 – With the enactment of the continuing resolution, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks will resume regular operations on Tuesday, January 29, 2019. All areas of the parks that are typically open this time of year, continue to be open. Employees have started to come back to work […]
Posted inCalifornia
Unsafe Visitor Conditions Lead to Full Closure of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, California, January 2, 2019 – Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks will be fully closed effective 6 p.m. on Tuesday, January 2. The parks are being forced to take this action for health and safety concerns. This supersedes previous closures. Sequoia National Park will be closed at the Ash Mountain […]
Posted inCalifornia
Unsafe Visitor Conditions Lead to Closures in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, Calif. December 31, 2018 – Park officials announced today that several areas in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks closed effective 6 p.m. on Monday, December 31. The parks are being forced to take this action for health and safety concerns. The Generals Highway closed this evening at Hospital […]
Posted inCalifornia
Two Fires Grow in Remote Area of Sequoia National Park
SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, Calif. November 21, 2018 – Started by lightning on October 4th and burning in the John Krebs Wilderness, the Eden Fire area is now 1,430 acres with 5% containment. An infrared flight took place Tuesday night and allowed more accurate mapping as the area was shrouded in smoke the […]
Posted inRegional
Volunteer at Sequoia National Park for National Public Lands Day Sept. 22nd
September 18, 2018 – National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September 22 is a fee free day for all national parks, including Sequoia and Kings Canyon. Our park rangers are celebrating with a full day of volunteer activities for visitors who wish to give back during their visit to Lodgepole and Giant Forest in Sequoia National […]