Sierra National Forest

Recreation - Wilderness Areas

The Sierra's five Wilderness areas are the Ansel Adams, Dinkey Lakes, John Muir, Kaiser and Monarch. The following "thumbnail sketches" are intended to give you a feel for the character of each area - the terrain, vegetation and outstanding features you will encounter during your visit. More complete descriptions plus information on access, trails and permit requirements are contained in individual brochures for each Wilderness.

ANSEL ADAMS WILDERNESS

The California Wilderness Act nearly doubled the acreage of the former Minarets Wilderness and changed the name to Ansel Adams. The Wilderness is located in both the Sierra and Inyo National Forests and covers approximately 228,500 acres (138,660 acres are in Sierra National Forest). Ansel Adams is characterized by spectacular alpine scenery with barren granite peaks, steep-walled gorges and rock outcroppings. Elevations range from 3,500 feet to 13,157 feet and there are several small glaciers on the north and northeast facing slopes of the highest peaks. There are also a number of fairly large lakes on the eastern slope of the precipitous Ritter Range. The Ansel Adams Wilderness contains the headwaters of the North and Middle Forks of the San Joaquin River.

For a PDF of the Ansel Adams Wilderness Area, please click here.

DINKEY LAKES WILDERNESS

The Dinkey Lakes Wilderness was created by the California Wilderness Act of 1984. It lies on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada southeast of Huntington Lake and northwest of Courtright Reservoir. It is located just west of the new portion of the John Muir Wilderness and is separated from the John Muir by the Dusy/Ershim Off-Hiway Vehicle Route. Most of the Dinkey Lakes Wilderness is above 8,000 feet and Three Sisters Peak is the highest point at 10,619 feet. Vegetation is primarily lodgepole pine and there are many meadows and granite outcroppings. Sixteen lakes are clustered in the west central region of the Wilderness.

For a PDF of the Dinkey Lake Wilderness Area, please click here.

For an interactive map of the trails and recreational areas within and nearby the Dinkey Lakes Wilderness, please follow this link >>>>

JOHN MUIR WILDERNESS

The John Muir Wilderness covers 584,000 acres in the Sierra and Inyo National Forests. It was increased by 81,000 acres in the California Wilderness Act. The John Muir extends along the crest of the Sierra Nevada from Mammoth Lakes southeastward for a distance of about 30 miles then forks around the boundary of Kings Canyon National Park to the Crown Valley and Mt. Whitney regions. This is a land of snow-capped mountains with hundreds of lakes and streams and beautiful meadows. Elevations range from 4,000 feet to 14,496 at Mount Whitney and many peaks are above 13,000 feet. Lower elevations slopes are covered with stands of Jeffrey Pine, incense cedar, white and red fir and lodgepole pine. The higher elevations are barren granite with many glacially carved lakes.

For a PDF of the John Muir Wilderness Area, please click here.

KAISER WILDERNESS

The 22,000 Kaiser Wilderness is located immediately north of Huntington Lake, approximately 70 miles northeast of Fresno. Kaiser Ridge bisects the Wilderness and provides a commanding view of the central Sierra Nevada. The southern half of the Wilderness is characterized by dense red fir and Jeffrey pine forests which extend up the gradual south slope of Kaiser Ridge. The top of the ridge is in the alpine zone. The descent from Kaiser Ridge into the northern part of the Wilderness is quite abrupt. This northern region is much more open than the south side and contains eighteen small lakes.

For a PDF of the Kaiser Wilderness Area, please click here.

For an interactive map of the trails and recreational areas within and nearby the Kaiser Wilderness, please follow this link >>>>

MONARCH WILDERNESS

The Monarch Wilderness was created by the California Wilderness Act of 1984. It extends across 45,000 acres in the Sierra and Sequoia National Forests. The Sierra National Forest portion of the Wilderness (approximately 21,000 acres) is extremely rugged and difficult to traverse. Steep slopes extend up from the Middle and South Forks of the Kings River. Elevations range from 2,400 feet to over 10,000 feet. The lower elevations are predominantly chaparral-covered with with pine stands near the tops of the higher peaks. Rock outcroppings are found throughout the Wilderness.