Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks protect one of America's most diverse, rugged, and scenic landscapes. In September of 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Wilderness Act , which made the preservation and protection of such wild places a national priority. As a result of that act and subsequent legislation, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks currently protect more than 1,300 square miles of designated and recommended wilderness, or approximately 97% of the parks. The parks overlie an extraordinary continuum of ecosystems arrayed along the greatest vertical relief (1,370 to 14,505 feet in elevation) of any protected area in the lower 48 states. Magnificent glacial canyons, broad lake basins, lush meadows, and sheer granite peaks--hallmarks of the most rugged portion of the High Sierra--form the core of the largest expanse of contiguous wilderness in California. These are the ancestral lands of the Mono/Monache, Paiute, Tübatulabal, and Yokuts; a unique place valued and visited by people from around the world. Well-known destinations such as Mount Whitney and popular itineraries such as the John Muir Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, High Sierra Trail, and Rae Lakes Loop are heavily traveled and there is high demand for limited entry. The relatively accessible lake basins near Lodgepole and Mineral King are busy on weekends but can be quiet mid-week. Lesser-known destinations such as the Monarch Divide, Roaring River country, eastern slopes of the Great Western Divide, and the Hockett Plateau can offer outstanding opportunities for solitude throughout the year. The popularity of these mountains mean that every visitor must minimize their impacts to the land and its community of life. Small actions repeated thousands of times have the potential to degrade the wilderness for current and future generations. Take the time to learn how you can protect this place by reading and understanding the requirements to minimize your impacts while visiting.