Wilderness Areas

Wilderness is a special place where visitors can get away from noise and machinery and find peace, solitude, and natural beauty. Within wilderness, travel is allowed only by foot or horseback, or in a wheelchair (for those who have a disability which impedes mobility). No motorized vehicles, bicycles, wheeled deer carriers or other such equipment are permitted. Camping is not allowed within 100 feet of streams or lakes. A permit is required for overnight stays in the Golden Trout Wilderness.

For general information about wilderness, stewardship and educational resources, scientific information, agency policies, relevant legislation and communication tools go to Wilderness.net!

Monarch Wilderness

The Monarch Wilderness offers 45,000 acres of dramatic, rugged rocky formations in the Giant Sequoia National Monument and the Sequoia and Sierra National Forests. Elevations range from 2,000 feet on the South Fork of the Kings River to over 11,000 feet at Hogback Peak. Access is available by trail from Highway 180.

Jennie Lakes Wilderness

The Jennie Lakes Wilderness is a pleasant 10,500-acre area with pristine lakes, meadows, forest and streams. Elevations range from 7,000 feet to the summit of Mitchell Peak at 10,365 feet.

Golden Trout Wilderness

The Golden Trout Wilderness is located in both the Sequoia and Inyo National Forests and encompasses 475 square miles of pristine lakes, jagged peaks, and lush green meadows. Visitor permits (required only for the Golden Trout Wilderness) are available free from ranger stations near wilderness entry points.

South Sierra Wilderness

The South Sierra Wilderness consists of 63,000 acres of high meadow lands between forested ridges in both the Sequoia and Inyo National Forests. Elevations range from 6,100 feet near Kennedy Meadow to Blanch Peak at 12,123 feet. Trail access is available from forest roads to the east, south, and west.

Dome Land Wilderness

The Dome Land Wilderness covers 94,695 acres of the southeast part of the Kern Plateau. It is filled with a series of rugged domelike rock formations, including Church Dome, one of its outstanding scenic points. Because of its lower elevations, visitors especially enjoy this wilderness during the spring and fall seasons.

Kiavah Wilderness

The Kiavah Wilderness covers 88,290 acres in the Scodie Mountains, on lands managed by both the Sequoia National Forest and Bureau of Land Management. This wilderness includes eroded hills, canyons, and bajadas in the transition zone between the Mojave Desert and the Sierra Nevada. The Pacific Crest trail runs the length of the Kiavah Wilderness.