| Official Name: | Cedar Slope, California |
| Settlement Type: | census-designated place |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Tulare |
| Population Total: | 10 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 34.72 |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 0.29 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 0.29 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.00 |
| Area Water Percent: | 0 |
| Timezone: | Pacific (PST) |
| Utc Offset: | -8 |
| Timezone Dst: | PDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -7 |
| Elevation Ft: | 5584 |
| Pushpin Map: | California |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Position in California. |
| Coordinates: | 36.1436°N -118.5772°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP Code |
| Blank Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank Info: | 2585406 |
| Area Total Km2: | 0.75 |
| Area Land Km2: | 0.75 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.00 |
| Population Density Km2: | 13.40 |
Cedar Slope is a census-designated place (CDP) in Tulare County, California. Cedar Slope sits at an elevation of 5584feet. The 2020 United States census reported that Cedar Slope was 10, this is up from zero in 2010.[2] Cedar Slope can be reached from Porterville by 37 curvy miles [3] on California State Route 190 with an elevation gain of 5,525 feet.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP covers an area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km), all of it land.
The first occupant of Cedar Slope was the artist and seamstress Nellie Marshall in 1881. Nearby Marshall Creek is named after her. In 1945, 80 acres of the original homestead were purchased and developed by Les and Ruth Bailey and Fred and Hazelyn Hopkins. Tulare County approved this 80-acre expanse as Tract 119 in 1947, authorizing the construction of the area's first cabins.[4] Many of the first wave of cabins were built by World War Two veterans. The community owned Cedar Slope Mutual Water Company, established in 1947, provides and manages water to the development. Carl and Lynn Tapia rebuilt the Cedar Slope Inn after the original store on that site on Highway 190 burned down in the late 1960s. The couple ran it as a community bar and music venue until Carl suffered his first stroke in 1997. Afterwards the property passed into other hands. The Cedar Slope Inn suffered no meaningful damage during the Sequoia Complex Fire (SQF Complex).[5] [6]
In September, 2020, Cedar Slope was largely destroyed by the naturally sparked Sequoia Complex Fire. 57 of the 65 cabins were completely burned.[7] In the nearby communities of Alpine Village and Sequoia Crest, 37 and 49 cabins were lost in the fire, respectively. The McIntrye Grove of Giant Sequoia, a short distance to the south from Cedar Slope, is reported as heavily damaged by SQF Fire.[8] The area remains at risk for mud flows and flash floods due to the charred soil being unable to absorb water.[9]