Some 85% of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks was designated as wilderness under the California Wilderness Act of 1984. Currently, the parks are gathering public input in order to develop a Wilderness Management Plan for these areas.

Wilderness permits are required for all overnight camping outside designated campgrounds. There is no charge for backcountry permits issued by Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Permits are not required for day hikes, with the exception of the Mt Whitney area. All hikers to Mt. Whitney are required to obtain a permit.

Quotas limit the number of people who can enter at each trailhead on a single day. In the summer, some of the popular trailheads may be full. Reservations are accepted for backcountry permits for trips between mid-May and September. We will accept backcountry reservations for the current year no earlier than March 1 and no later than 3 weeks before the start of your trip. All reservation requests must be faxed or mailed in. We regret that we are not set up to take backcountry reservations electronically at this time.

Groups should always use the reservation system. The maximum group size is 15 people per trailhead except for Redwood Canyon where the maximum size is 10.

All campers are expected to know and follow the regulations for minimum impact camping.

Stock users, please read the stock use regulations and check the opening dates for grazing.

Black bears are at home in these parks. Their natural habitat is the forests and shrublands below 8000' (2438 meters), but they will frequently roam above these elevations in order to steal food from backpackers. Federal regulations require proper food storage and prohibit feeding of any park animal. Violations of these regulations will result in a fine of up to $5000. But even stronger than legal obligations is the moral responsibility to respect the wilderness you have come to enjoy. Careless food storage spells death for bears. When a bear repeatedly obtains human food and garbage, it becomes destructive and dangerous, and may have to be killed. You have entered the bears' territory; learn how to protect your food from bears, and don't let your carelessness destroy them in their own homes.

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