Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness
Sequoia National Park, America's second oldest park, was eventually joined with Kings Canyon National Park to form an area described only with multiple superlatives, a parkland of which everything off the beaten track has been designated Wilderness. Here in the heart of California wildland, almost surrounded by other designated Wildernesses, you'll find some of the most glorious scenery on Earth, a world of high peaks, deep canyons, lush meadows, bright lakes, rushing rivers, sparkling streams, and big, big trees. To the west, the park descends to dry foothills of oak and chaparral toward the San Joaquin Valley. To the south runs the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River, as well as the Wild and Scenic North Fork of the Kern River.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 768,222 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 36.75° N, 118.57° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 16) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
2 federal campgrounds sit inside the boundary and 59 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
49 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trails
18 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 123 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Lewis Camp ↗ | 21.8 | |
| Shepherd Pass ↗ | 10.7 | |
| Farewell Gap ↗ | 9.8 | |
| Sawmill Pass ↗ | 9.6 | |
| Deer Cove ↗ | 9.4 | |
| Golden Trout Creek ↗ | 9.2 | |
| Coyote Lakes ↗ | 8.9 | |
| Mount Whitney ↗ | 8.7 | |
| Taboose Pass ↗ | 7.6 | |
| Jennie Lake ↗ | 5.9 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedGrant Grove Fall Rx
22 mi from the center point · 466 acres
- PrescribedRx White Deer
34 mi from the center point · 35 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- under 0.1 miBarton-Lackey Cabin ↗Mineral King, CA
- under 0.1 miCabin Creek Ranger Residence and Dormitory ↗Wilsonia, CA
- under 0.1 miRedwood Meadow Ranger Station ↗Three Rivers, CA
- under 0.1 miSmithsonian Institution Shelter ↗Lone Pine, CA
- under 0.1 miBearpaw High Sierra Camp ↗Three Rivers, CA
- under 0.1 miPear Lake Ski Hut ↗Mineral King, CA
- 0.1 miGenerals' Highway Stone Bridges ↗Mineral King, CA
- 0.1 miMoro Rock Stairway ↗Three Rivers, CA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for California
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness?
768,222 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness?
The National Park Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 36.746° N, 118.573° W. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks is adjacent. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Grant Grove Fall Rx at 22 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness?
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (adjacent) and Manzanar National Historic Site (11 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness?
The National Register has 20 listings within 15 miles, including Barton-Lackey Cabin and Cabin Creek Ranger Residence and Dormitory.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.