South Sierra Wilderness
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| South Sierra Wilderness | |
|---|---|
| IUCN Category Ib (Wilderness Area) | |
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| Nearest city | Bakersfield, California US |
| Coordinates | |
| Area | 62,774 acres |
| Governing body | U.S. Forest Service |
The South Sierra Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness protected area located 65 miles northeast of Bakersfield, California. It is about ninety eight square miles in size and is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Elevations range from 6,000 feet up to 12,123 feet at Olancha Peak.[1] Recreational activities include backpacking, day hiking, fishing, rock climbing, skiing and snowshoeing.
The South Sierra Wilderness is the most southern part of a continous chain of wilderness areas protecting the Sierra Nevada crest from Walker Pass to Lake Tahoe. Two very different landscapes are within the boundaries; the Kern Plateau occupies the southern portion with low, forested ridges, narrow meadows, and woodlands of Jeffrey pine, red fir and lodgepole pine. The northern portion is more mountainous with Olancha Peak and Round Mountain (9,884 ft). The Wild and Scenic South Fork Kern River bisects the wilderness in a north - south direction on the east side.
Wildlife include the large Monarche deer herd, the sensitive Sierra Nevada Red Fox, the pine martin and the black bear.
Visitors are encouraged to use the Leave No Trace ethics to minimize human impact on the environment.
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[edit] Hiking trails
There are six trailheads leading into the wilderness, and one campground, Kennedy Meadows, providing access to the Pacific Crest Trail.
The Wildrose Trail is nine miles in length and travels through pinyon pine forests.
The Olancha Pass Trail starts at the Sage Flat Trailhead on the eastside and is six miles in length. The majority of trail users are hunters in autumn and the grazing allotment permittees.
[edit] References
Adkinson, Ron Wild Northern California, The Globe Pequot Press, 2001
