Stock Use and Grazing Restrictions

April 25, 2025

The following temporary closures, use limits, and permit conditions for the use of stock have been established by the Superintendent for resource protection under the authority in 36 CFR 1.5 and 2.16. Unless otherwise restricted, stock parties may camp in areas that are temporarily closed to grazing but are required to either hold and feed their animals or graze them in other sites in the area that are open to grazing.

39-2 Big Pete Meadow. One night limit and stock handling practices that limit the number of stream crossings by grazing animals across the main channel that runs through the meadow (west of the stock camp). Stock can be grazed by 1) hand grazing to keep animals on one side of the channel only (with stock high-lined in camp when not hand-grazing), or 2) hobbling the lead animals to retain the herd on one side of the channel. These practices are intended to reduce further erosion to streambanks by stock.

39-3 Little Pete Meadow. One night limit to camping and grazing to allow for the recovery of vegetation from past grazing and drought impacts.

42-1 Dusy Creek Meadow. Open for parties with a maximum of 8 stock to minimize further erosion to streambanks from stock accessing water in creek and to adjust party size to the current size of the stock camp, which has been reduced due to avalanche debris from 2023. Stock users are advised to pack supplemental feed when camping here due to avalanche debris blocking all access to forage.

45-1 Palisade Lakes. Total grazing limited to 18 stock nights. One-night limit to camping and grazing. The area within 0.25 miles of the lower Palisade Lake outlet is open to private stock parties only. The stock camp at the upper lake is open; however, stock users are strongly encouraged to consider 39-8 Deer Meadow or 46-1 Upper Basin Meadows as alternatives when planning trips in this area. These limits are recommended to 1) reduce further stock mechanical impacts to meadow, riparian, and lakeshore vegetation and soils near the lower lake outlet; 2) allow for further recovery to lasting 2021 impacts to meadow and lakeshore vegetation and soils near the upper lake; and 3) temporarily set total grazing level to align with the level that is anticipated to meet resource management goals and avoid unacceptable impacts.

66-3 Junction Meadow (Bubbs Creek). Lower (66-3.1) and upper (66-3.2) meadows may open to grazing on different dates. The lower meadow is open grazing only by hand or with a portable electric fence. Total grazing limited to 50 stock nights in the lower meadow and 32 nights in the upper meadow. Cedar Grove Pack Station limited to total grazing of 50 stock nights across both meadows. Commercial Use Authorization permit holders are prohibited from grazing at Junction Meadow (Bubbs Creek).

81-2.1 Wallace Creek-JMT Junction and 81-2.2 Wallace Creek Meadows. Open to hand grazing only to prevent stock from drifting into the portion of 81-2.2 Wallace Creek Meadows with lasting impacts from 2020 to allow for further recovery of soils and vegetation and reduce future impacts to other perennially wet areas in 81-2.2 Wallace Creek Meadow. Stock may not be turned out to graze unattended or unrestrained; animals should be high-lined in camp when not hand grazing.

83-4 Upper Crabtree Meadow. Total grazing limited to 70 stock nights to allow for further recovery of meadow vegetation from past drought, flooding, and grazing impacts. Consider 83-8 Sandy Meadow as an alternative forage area.

85-8.2 Rock Creek Stringer Meadow. Temporarily closed to grazing and camping by stock parties to allow for recovery of meadow soils and vegetation impacts that resulted from stock use while closed in 2023 and 2024.

Kern Canyon Meadows. In order to limit the spread of the invasive non-native velvetgrass (Holcus lanatus), grazing on the floor of the Kern Canyon is temporarily restricted as follows:

Kern Ranger Station to south of Lower Funston Meadow: All areas on the floor of the Kern Canyon between the park boundary at the Kern Ranger Station to south of 86-5 Lower Funston Meadow is closed to grazing, except for the administrative pastures at 86-7 Lewis Camp. Camping with stock in these areas is allowed provided that animals are confined and fed. 86-6 Rattlesnake Camp/River Pasture and 86-8 Kern Ranger Station Small Pasture is closed to all grazing.

Lower Funston Meadow to Kern-Kaweah River: Grazing of areas on the floor of the Kern Canyon between 86-5 Lower Funston Meadow and the Kern-Kaweah River is limited to parties accessing the canyon from the west (Mineral King, Giant Forest, or Roaring River), north, or east (Golden Trout Creek). Parties passing through the USFS lands to the south of the park and entering the canyon are required to confine and feed their animals once velvet grass begins flowering. This restriction includes 82-1 Junction Meadow, 86-1 Kern Bridge Camp/The Maze, 86-2 Upper Funston Meadow, 86-3 Big Arroyo Confluence, 86-4 Twenty-one Inch Camp, and 86-5 Lower Funston Meadow. Grazing at 86-2 Upper Funston Meadow and 86-5 Lower Funston Meadow is reserved for commercial and private groups.

• Day use only: Hump, Heather, Emerald, and Pear Lakes Trails.
• Closed to stock: Watchtower Trail.

• Day use only: Panther Gap, Alta Peak and Meadow, and Big Baldy Trails.
• Closed to stock: Little Baldy, Muir Grove, Lost Grove, Admiration Point spur, Paradise Creek, Marble Falls, and Tokopah Falls trails.

• All paved trails closed to stock.
• Closed to stock: High Sierra Trail from Crescent Meadow to Wolverton Cutoff.

• Closed to grazing.

• The upper (southern) portion of the meadow is open to administrative use only.
• Lower (northern) portion is open to grazing with 15 head limit.

• Closed to stock.

• Day use only for parties with horses and mules, open to camping by walking parties with burros or llamas.
• Closed to grazing.

• Day use only.

• Closed to grazing.

• Areas > 0.5 mi from trail open to off-trail stock use: Party size limit of 12 people, 12 stock, with a combined maximum of 14.

• Administrative use only.

• Closed to grazing.

• Closed to grazing.

• Day use only.

• Open to off-trail stock use: Party size limit of 12 people, 12 stock, with a combined maximum of 14.

• Closed to grazing.

• Closed to grazing.

• Small meadow immediately adjacent to hot springs is closed to grazing.

• Administrative use only.

• Closed to grazing by horses and mules, open to grazing by walking parties with burros or llamas.

• Meadow one mile south of Lake South America closed to grazing.

• Bighorn Plateau Lake and small meadow 0.6 mi south of lake are closed to grazing.

• Class 1 trail day use only above 11,200’.

• Side drainage in east-central Wright Lakes Basin closed to grazing.

• Class 1 trail day use only above 11,200’.

• Six head, one night grazing limit.

• Meadow at 11,180’ closed to grazing.

• Closed to grazing.

• Day use only.

• Day use only for parties with horses and mules, open to camping by walking parties with burros or llamas (except Timberline Lake, which is day use only for all parties.)
• Closed to grazing.

• Closed to stock from one mile above Guitar Lake and above.

• 10 head grazing limit.

• 10 head grazing limit.

• Closed to grazing.

• Open to grazing by private parties only.

• Closed to stock above the hitch rail located 0.5 mile below the lowest lake.

• Class 1 trail closed to stock.

• Class 1 trail closed to stock.

• Class 1 trail open to day-use only above Penned Up Meadow with a party size limit of 8 people and stock combined.
• Closed to stock above 11,300 ft elevation.

• Two night grazing limit for Rock Creek Lake and above: Penned Up, Lower Soldier Lake, New Army Pass Junction, and Rock Creek Lake and Stringer Meadows.

• Open to grazing by private parties only. Two night grazing limit.

• Meadow between drift fence and Rock Creek Lake closed to grazing.

• Area adjacent to ranger station closed to grazing.

• Closed to grazing.

• Day use only from one mile above Hell-for-Sure Trail Junction to Martha Lake. Party size limit of 12 people, 12 stock, with a combined maximum of 14.

• Closed to grazing until Evolution and Colby Meadows reach capacity.
• 1 night grazing limit.

• 1 night grazing limit.

• Darwin Meadow Proper closed to grazing.
• The “pocket meadows” in the forested area to the north and west of Darwin Meadow Proper are open to grazing with a 1 night grazing limit.

• Class 1 trail open to stock for day use only but probably impassable.

• Class 1 trail closed to stock.

• Closed to grazing by horses and mules from Evolution Lake to Muir Pass
• 1 night grazing limit for walking parties with burros or llamas.

• Canyon closed to grazing above 10,000’ elevation.

• Forested peat area west of meadow is closed to grazing.

• Day use only.

• Closed to grazing.

• Day use only.Closed to stock above 10,000 ft elevation.

• Closed to grazing.

• Open to off-trail stock use: Party size limit of 12 people, 12 stock, with a combined maximum of 14.

• Two night grazing limit.

• Closed to grazing.

• Day use only: Party size limit of 10 people, 10 stock, with a combined maximum of 20.

• Day use only

• Open to grazing except for the 12 acre wet section of meadow at 11,000 ft which is closed to grazing.

• Closed to grazing by horses and mules, grazing allowed for walking groups with burros or llamas.
• Woods Lake shoreline closed to grazing.

• The meadows on the south side of Woods Creek Crossing are closed to grazing.

• 15 head, 1 night grazing limit.

• Closed to grazing up to the Lower Castle Domes drift fence.

• Closed to stock.

• Day use only.
• Stock travel limited to the first 1.8 miles from the JMT with no stock travel beyond this point.
• Party size limit of 8 people and stock combined.

• Closed to stock.

• Closed to grazing by horses and mules below Junction Meadow.
• One night grazing limit for walking parties with burros or llamas.

• 15 head, 1 night grazing limit. East Lake Meadow 12 head, 2 night grazing limit.
• Closed to grazing below the drift fence, including the lake shore meadows.
• Upper junction Meadow (66-3.2) closed as of 7/15/2022

• Class 1 trail open to stock for day use only but probably impassable.

• Day use only.

• Day use only.

• Day use only.
• Meadows immediately above and below Charlotte Lake closed to grazing.

• Two night grazing limit below the drift fence west of (below) Charlotte Lake.

• Closed to grazing.

• Open to grazing by private parties only.

• Class 1 trail open to stock for day use only.

• Open to off-trail stock use: Party size limit of 12 people, 12 stock, with a combined maximum of 14.

• Administrative use only.

• Administrative use only.

• 15 head, 2 night grazing limit.

• Closed to grazing.

• Closed to grazing.