November 3, 2024 – Sequoia National Park officials note America is a vast land of many cultures dating back thousands of years to the original inhabitants of the land. The history and heritage of Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Island communities are part of all national parks today. Throughout the year, and especially during November, during Native American Heritage Month, the National Park Service and our partners celebrate together the rich traditions, languages, and contributions of Indigenous people.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are the homelands of the Mono (Monache), Yokuts, Tübatulabal, Paiute, and Western Shoshone. Native peoples have used, tended, occupied, and valued the lands of the high Sierras in many ways, and they still maintain deep connections to the parks today.

The displacement and often forced relocation and reorganization of Native peoples have much affected their relationships with lands in the parks, with the National Park Service itself, and with one another. Nonetheless, these tribes all have numerous descendants living today who continue to steward and tend to the lands now within Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

A great place to learn more about tribal heritage in the parks at the Pah-din (Hospital Rock) Picnic Area exhibits or visit online at: https://www.nps.gov/.../hospital-rock-picnic-area.

(Pictured) Hospital Rock sign in front of a rock staircase overlooking pictographs. 

Source & photo credit: NPS