South Sierra Wilderness

The South Sierra Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness area in the Southern Sierra Nevada, in eastern California. It is located northeast of Bakersfield, and is southwest of Owens Lake and Olancha.

Geography

Created with the passage of the California Wilderness Act of 1984 by the U.S. Congress, the South Sierra Wilderness is in size. It is managed by the U.S. Forest Service, and within Sequoia National Forest and Inyo National Forest.
The South Sierra Wilderness is the southernmost Forest Service-managed section of a continuous chain of wilderness areas protecting the Sierra Nevada crest from Walker Pass to Lake Tahoe.
Elevations range from about near Kennedy Meadows, up to at Olancha Peak. The Wild and Scenic South Fork of the Kern River bisects the wilderness on the east side, in a north–south direction.

Ecology

Wildlife includes the large Monache mule deer herd, the sensitive Sierra Nevada red fox, pine martens, mountain lions, and American black bears. The South Fork of the Kern River serves as the primary native habitat for the California Golden Trout, the state fish of California.

Flora

Two very different landscapes with distinct habitats are protected within the South Sierra Wilderness:

The southern portion is the lower Kern Plateau landform, with low, forested ridges, narrow meadows, and woodlands of Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi), red fir (Abies magnifica) and lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta).
The northern portion is more mountainous, and includes the alpine flora of Olancha Peak and Round Mountain.

Rare California native plants observed in the area are Kern ceanothus (Ceanothus pinetorum), a locally endemic shrub found on slopes in pine and red fir forests, at elevations between. Ceanothus pinetorum is not currently state or federally listed under the Endangered Species Act, but is considered by the California Native Plant Society as "uncommon enough that their status should be monitored regularly".
Rare wildflowers include Kern Canyon clarkia and goosefoot yellow violet, both are also endemic to California.

Recreational activities

Recreational activities include backpacking, day hiking, fishing, rock climbing, mountaineering, skiing and snowshoeing. The majority of trail users are summer grazing allotment permittees, and autumn hunters.

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 — in length and travels through pinyon pine forests.
the Olancha Pass Trail — starts at the Sage Flat Trailhead on the eastside and is in length.