Hume Lake Ranger District

Area Status: Open

Hume Lake Ranger District is the most northern portion of the Giant Sequoia National Monument and it is neighbors to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. This 195,606-acre district has elevations range from about 1,000 feet, along the Kings River to 11,000 feet, the peak of Mt Harrington and home to 13 Sequoia Groves and the majestic Kings Canyon.

The district also includes 2 wilderness areas, 18 developed campgrounds (including 4 groups sites), 2 rental cabins, developed day use areas, 113 miles of trails, 150 miles of Off-Highway- Vehicle trails, 25 groomed snow trails and much more.

Latest Recreation and Roads Report Available Here

At a Glance

Current Conditions:	Weather Information: The National Weather Service is a good resource for information about weather.
Operational Hours:	Hume Lake Ranger District In-person service is available Monday - Friday from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm 35860 East Kings Canyon Road, Dunlap, CA 93621 Ranger Station (559) 338-2251 By email at SM.FS.SequoiaNF@usda.gov
Reservations:	Visit recreation.gov or call 877-444-6777 for reservations.

Recreation Map

Map showing recreational areas. Map Information

Activities

Mountain Biking

Areas for Mountain Biking at Hume Lake Ranger District

Campground Camping

Areas for Campground Camping at Hume Lake Ranger District

Group Camping

Areas for Group Camping at Hume Lake Ranger District

Dispersed Camping

Dispersed camping is camping outside of a designated campground. It is allowed in many areas of the Sequoia National Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument.

There are certain areas where dispersed camping is prohibited and these areas are posted.

Dispersed camping is free but you do need to have a CAMPFIRE PERMIT. These can be obtained free of charge at any Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management or California Department of Forestry Office. Be aware of fire restrictions, typically in forced by mid-summer, banning open fires outside of designated campgrounds.

The maximum length of time you may camp in dispersed areas is 14 DAYS at a time and 30 DAYS in a year.

Dispersed camping is a activity enjoyed by many visitors to the forest. Each year the number of people taking advantage of dispersed recreation opportunities has increased, making it more and more essential that these areas be left clean and undamaged.

The following acts are prohibited on the Sequoia National Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument and are subject to a fine:

1. Driving off designated roads inside the Monument.

2. Leaving campfire unattended.

3. Leaving trash buried, stashed or left in campfire ring. Abandoning or leaving personal property. PACK IT IN-PACK IT OUT.

4. Cutting or otherwise damaging trees for use as a lean-to or a horse corral. Do not leave anything tied to trees.

5. Destruction of government property such as signs, posters, gates, etc.

6. Removing forest products without a permit.

7. Discharging any firearm within 150 yards of any building, occupied area, across forest development roads, or body of water

Here are some tips to appropriate dispersed camping:

1. Protect standing trees from nails and scars from axes, knives and hatchets. Use only dead and down trees for firewood.

2. Bury human waste at least six inches deep and 200 feet from any waterway or trail. DO NOT bury toilet paper–PACK IT OUT.

3. Wash at least 200 feet away from any water source using biodegradable soap.

4. Set up camp more than 200 feet from any waterway or trail.

5. Take a litterbag to carry out all refuse. Do not leave trash in fire rings. Do not bury trash.

6. A campfire permits is required to have a campfire, charcoal barbeque, or camp stove. Use existing fire grates or fire rings. If none exist, please use the fire pit method and disassemble it after you extinguish your fire. Gather only dead and down firewood. Firewood may not be transported off of the Forest without a permit.

7. Avoid leveling or digging trenches around tents. Place tent on bare ground and not on vegetation.

8. Protect your food from the bears and other animals. Keep your food and anything with a scent stored in an airtight container in your car truck. If your vehicle has no trunk, put everything on the floor, cover it well and close the windows. Always, keep a clean campsite.

9. LEAVE YOUR CAMPSITE BETTER THANK WHEN YOU ARRIVED!

Cabin Rentals

Areas for Cabin Rentals at Hume Lake Ranger District

Lake and Pond Fishing

Areas for Lake and Pond Fishing at Hume Lake Ranger District

River and Stream Fishing

Areas for River and Stream Fishing at Hume Lake Ranger District

Day Hiking

Areas for Day Hiking at Hume Lake Ranger District

Backpacking

Areas for Backpacking at Hume Lake Ranger District

Horse Camping

Areas for Horse Camping at Hume Lake Ranger District

Horse Camp Campground

Horse Riding

Areas for Horse Riding at Hume Lake Ranger District

Viewing Scenery

Areas for Viewing Scenery at Hume Lake Ranger District

OHV Camping

Areas for OHV Camping at Hume Lake Ranger District

OHV Road Riding

The Hume Lake Ranger District offers approximately 20 miles of motorcycle trail, 25 miles of challenging 4-wheel drive routes that are also open for motorcycle and ATV use and an additional 100 + miles of high clearance dirt road, used by dune buggy's, motorcycles, four-wheel drives and ATV's, for a total of approximately 150 miles of designated OHV routes available for the average number of 3,500 OHV's per year on the District.

The District has several volunteer groups involved in the "Adopt-a-Trail" program and has occasional projects where volunteers are used. The volunteers provide an average of 100 to 200 hours of work per year. This work usually consists of removing fallen trees from the adopted OHV routes and picking up litter along the way.

The Millwood OHV area, with 25 miles of OHV routes, offers the largest variety of riding and four wheeling opportunities from relatively easy, to more challenging routes such as the Goodmill 4-wheel drive route or the Old Shay Rail Road motorcycle route. The Millwood OHV Staging Area offers parking, picnic tables, a restroom, and several dispersed campsites within the vicinity.

For the most challenging routes for the more experienced off-roaders, a quick trip from Millwood, up the Abbott Creek Road, provides an elevation gain to 7000' for cooler weather and access to Hoist Ridge or Park Ridge. Access to Park Ridge is also available from Cherry Gap, Hume Lake via the Christian Conference or from Bearskin Grove by riding up the very challenging Huckleberry Route.

For a day trip in the Big Meadow area, the Buck Rock Jeep Trail is an old favorite of many off-roaders. With its cooler climate at 8000' elevation and nearby trout filled Big Meadow Creek, there are abundant opportunities for camping, fishing or a visit to the Buck Rock Fire Lookout.

For families, the Sand Pit, off the Big Meadow road, provides an OHV play area next to a dispersed camping area. There is also OHV access to the Buck Rock Jeep Trail from this point by using the Cheater Trail.

The district also has many OHV routes that are scattered across the District and provide many opportunities for fishing, hunting, wood gathering, dispersed camping, or exploring.

Areas for OHV Road Riding at Hume Lake Ranger District

Caving

Areas for Caving at Hume Lake Ranger District

Boyden Cavern

Interpretive Areas

Areas for Interpretive Areas at Hume Lake Ranger District

Visitor Centers

Areas for Visitor Centers at Hume Lake Ranger District

Hume Lake Ranger Station

Picnicking

Bring your picnic basket to one of the developed picnic areas scattered throughout the forest and monument. Most locations have a picnic table, vault toilets, and barbecue fire grates. All picnic areas are on a first-come basis. Some picnic areas do not have trash service, so please pack-out what you pack-in.