Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are the homelands of the Mono (Monache), Yokuts, Tübatulabal, Paiute, and Western Shoshone.
The Sierra Nevada mountain range contains some of the oldest national parks in the nation. These parks occupy spectacular volcanic and glacial landforms, as well as distinctive subalpine and alpine habitats, setting these parklands apart from the wider landscape of central and southern California. The location’s uniqueness has made it especially important to Native Americans as well. 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. Below you will find the parks’ affiliated tribes and tribal organizations.
Federally Recognized Tribes
Big Sandy Rancheria Band of Western Mono Indians
Bridgeport Indian Colony
Cold Springs Rancheria
Fort Independence Indian Community of Paiute Indians
Fort Mojave Indian Tribe
North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians
Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians
Santa Rosa Rancheria Tachi-Yokut Tribe
Table Mountain Rancheria
Tejon Indian Tribe
Tule River Tribe
Big Pine Band of Owens Valley Paiute Shoshone Indians
Bishop Paiute Tribe
Paiute-Shoshone Indians of the Lone Pine Community
Utu Utu Gwaitu Paiute Tribe of the Benton Paiute Reservation
State Recognized and Other Tribes
Choinumni Tribes
Dumna Wo-Wah Tribal Government
Dunlap Band of Mono Indians
Kawaiisu Tribe of Tejon
Kern Valley Indian Community Tribal Council
Mono Lake Paiute Indian Community
North Fork Mono Tribe (North Fork Band of Mono Indians)
Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation (American Indian Council of Mariposa County)
Tübatulabal Tribe
Wukchumni Tribe
Wuksachi Indian Tribe/Eshom Valley Band
Additional Information
If you are seeking information about tribal consultation and/or Native American involvement in park projects, please contact the parks’ tribal liaison:
e-mail us
Christy Brigham
e-mail us
Chief of Resource Management
(559) 565-3120
Juanita Bonnifield
e-mail us
Cultural Resources Program Manager
(559) 565-3139
