Sequoia & Kings Canyon NPs - Rae Lakes Loop · National Park Service
Is the BearVault BV500 Journey legal in Sequoia & Kings Canyon NPs - Rae Lakes Loop?
Legal
Yes. The BearVault BV500 Journey is on the Sequoia and Kings Canyon allowed-container list, so it is legal on the Rae Lakes Loop.
The Rae Lakes Loop is one of five zones in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks where a canister is required. The page we read ties the requirement to May 1 through October 31 and was last updated 2025-06-14. Our dataset records no canister rule for the loop outside those dates, so if you are hiking it early or late in the year, check the park's current page before you decide.
Heads-up before you rely on this
- Official SIBBG list page was unreachable. The Sierra Interagency Black Bear Group site was down for maintenance on 2026-10-26. We used the NPS-hosted copies of the list (Yosemite page and the Sequoia & Kings Canyon PDF).
Rules change. Confirm with the land manager (links below) before you go.
What to know
The BV500 appears on the NPS-hosted copy of the allowed-container list. The official Sierra Interagency Black Bear Group site was down for maintenance on the day we checked, so we could not read the original there. Check the park's zone map for the exact boundaries of the loop zone.
Seasonal rule. The requirement applies on the dates in the source: May 1 - Oct 31 (per page). We do not have a recorded rule for other dates, so check the current page for shoulder-season trips.
The rule in Sequoia & Kings Canyon NPs - Rae Lakes Loop
- Requirement
- Canister required in the Rae Lakes Loop.
- Accepted
- Sequoia & Kings Canyon allowed-container PDF (SIBBG-derived list)
- Dates
- May 1 - Oct 31 (per page)
- Source updated
- 2025-06-14
- Checked
- 2026-10-26 · verified
- Our notes
- Zone list as stated on bear_bc.htm. Official SIBBG list page (sierrawild.gov) was down for maintenance on 2026-10-26; list taken from the NPS-hosted copies.
About the BearVault BV500 Journey
- Volume
- 11.5 L (700 cu in)
- Weight
- 2 lb 9 oz (1.16 kg)
- Material
- Rugged polycarbonate and other resins
- IGBC certified
- Yes (cert. 5340)
- On Yosemite / SEKI list
- Yes
- On Olympic list
- Yes
- Spec source
- manufacturer page fetched directly
Specs come from the sources named in "Spec source" and many are incomplete. See every area where the BearVault BV500 Journey is accepted or not →
What else works in Sequoia & Kings Canyon NPs - Rae Lakes Loop
| Canister | Verdict | Weight | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| BearVault BV450 Jaunt | Legal | 2 lb 1 oz | 7.2 L |
| UDAP No-Fed-Bear | Legal | 2.4 lb | 8.2 (derived from cu in) L |
| BearVault BV250 | Legal | n/a | n/a |
| BearVault BV300 | Legal | n/a | n/a |
| BearVault BV350 | Legal | n/a | n/a |
| BearVault BV400 | Legal | n/a | n/a |
The BearVault BV500 Journey under nearby rules
- Sequoia & Kings Canyon NPs - other backcountry Canister highly recommended elsewhere; hanging/other methods allowed outside the required zones. Allowed, not required
- Lake Tahoe Basin (outside Desolation) Basin-wide order: unattended food in a bear-resistant container (a canister is required only for Desolation ov… No canister rule
- Big Bend National Park Bear boxes/lockers; a bear-resistant container (300 ft-lb standard) is required only for caching. No canister rule
- Crater Lake National Park Canister not required: canister, hang or vehicle. No canister rule
- Yosemite National Park Food must be stored in an allowed canister or food locker park-wide in the backcountry; hanging is not a legal… Legal
- Sequoia & Kings Canyon NPs - Pear & Emerald Lakes Canister required in the Pear and Emerald Lakes areas. Legal
Quick answers
Is the BearVault BV500 Journey legal in Sequoia & Kings Canyon NPs - Rae Lakes Loop?
Yes. The BearVault BV500 Journey is on the Sequoia and Kings Canyon allowed-container list, so it is legal on the Rae Lakes Loop. The Rae Lakes Loop is one of five zones in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks where a canister is required. The page we read ties the requirement to May 1 through October 31 and was last updated 2025-06-14. Our dataset records no canister rule for the loop outside those dates, so if you are hiking it early or late in the year, check the park's current page before you decide.
What does Sequoia & Kings Canyon NPs - Rae Lakes Loop require for food storage?
Canister required in the Rae Lakes Loop. Accepted standard: Sequoia & Kings Canyon allowed-container PDF (SIBBG-derived list).
How current is this answer?
We checked Sequoia & Kings Canyon NPs - Rae Lakes Loop's official source on 2026-10-26. Official SIBBG list page was unreachable. Rules change, so confirm with the land manager before you go.
Sources and date checked
Checked . We link the official pages so you can read the rule yourself.