The distinction between Sequoia National Forest, Giant Sequoia National Monument, and Sequoia National Park
Sequoia High Sierra Camp is located within Giant Sequoia National Monument, which is on Sequoia National Forest land between Kings Canyon National Park and Sequoia National Park. The names are similar, but the park, forest and monument are all on federal land and their distinct designations serve different purposes. In addition, separate rules apply within the boundaries of each - an activity that is acceptable in a national forest may be against the law in a national park.
Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park
Sequoia National Park is California's first national park and America's second oldest, established in 1890. Nearby Kings Canyon was created in 1940. Together the two parks cover 865,952 acres, with elevations starting at 1,370 feet and soaring to 14,494 feet at the summit of Mount Whitney, the tallest peak in the contiguous 48 states. National parks are protected and preserved to keep landscapes unimpaired for future generations. The National Park Service, under the United States Department of the Interior, maintains Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
Sequoia National Forest
Bordered by Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park, the Sequoia National Forest includes more than 34,000 acres of giant sequoia groves, 1,500 miles of maintained roads, 1,000 miles of abandoned roads and 850 miles of trails. National Forests are "multiple use" areas, designated as such for both protection of natural resources and provision of services and commodities including lumber, cattle grazing, minerals and recreation with or without motorized vehicles. Administered by the United States Forest Service, under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Sequoia National Forest is one of nineteen national forests in California.
Giant Sequoia National Monument
Giant Sequoia National Monument is located within the Sequoia National Forest on 327,769 acres of federal land. Created by President Clinton in April 2005, the monument was established to permanently protect and recognize 38 groves of giant sequoia at the southern end of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The Monument is managed by the United States Forest Service, under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and includes terrain that ranges from 2,000 to 10,000 feet in elevation. Among visitor highlights are the magnificent sequoia groves as well as giant redwoods, glacier-carved canyons, wide rivers, granite monoliths, and meadows filled with wildflowers.
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