Land of Giants: 10 Facts About Sequoia National Park

Controlled Burning Is an Essential Part of Park Conservation
Controlled burning in Sequoia National Park
Raymond Gehman / Getty Images
Starting in 1982, Sequoia National Park’s Fire Monitoring Program has studied the interactions between fire and plants, animals, soil, water quality, and other aspects of the park’s ecosystems.

Fire ecologists collect data before, during, and after controlled burns or naturally occurring wildfires to help park managers determine environmental conditions, monitor fuel diversity, and determine which parts of the park are in most need of prescribed burns.

The Park Has Three Distinct Climate Zones
The elevation at Sequoia National Park ranges from 1,370 feet at the foothills up to 14,494 feet in the alpine mountains.5

The mid-elevation Montane Forests range from 4,000 feet to 9,000 feet and are characterized by coniferous trees, giant sequoia groves, and an annual average of 45 inches of rain—mainly between October and May.5

Trees that grow in the high-elevation alpine mountains, typically whitebark pine and foxtail pine, rarely appear above 11,000 feet.