Do you need bear spray in Sequoia National Forest?
Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National ParksPossession of weapons, including bear spray, is prohibited. Possession of firearms is subject to state regulations. In all wilderness areas along the JMT, proper food storage is mandatory.
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Weapons (including, but not limited to, BB, Pellet and Paint Guns, Bow/Arrow, Slingshots, Bear Spray and other compressed gas irritant devices) are illegal to possess. Discharge of a firearm or weapon is prohibited within Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks.
Containers are highly recommended throughout Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. They are available for rent at visitor centers, except for Cedar Grove, through the Sequoia Parks Conservancy.
Bobcats and mountain lions are common throughout the foothills of the parks. While you may catch a glimpse of a bobcat, mountain lions are rarely seen.
Photo courtesy of Michelle Harris, Samantha Winiecki-Love, Ryan Slezak and Colibri Ecological Consulting via CDFW. On August 11, 2023, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced that a new pack of gray wolves (Canis lupus) has been confirmed within Sequoia National Forest in Tulare County, CA!
California is home to an estimated 35,000 black bears; several hundred live within the 865,000-acre contiguous spread of Sequoia &Kings Canyon National Parks. Each year, two black bears on average are destroyed after numerous documented efforts are made to deter their taste for the food humans eat.