| Domeland Wilderness | |
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 Domeland Wilderness from Bald Mountain, summer 2007. | |
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| Location | Tulare /Kern counties,California, USA |
| Nearest city | Porterville, California/Ridgecrest, California |
| Coordinates | 35°53′00″N118°12′33″W / 35.88333°N 118.20917°W /35.88333; -118.20917 |
| Area | 130,081 acres (526.42 km2) |
| Established | 1964 |
| Governing body | U. S. Forest Service,Bureau of Land Management |
TheDomeland Wilderness is a federally designatedwilderness area located 55 miles (89 km) northeast ofBakersfield, California USA. It encompasses 130,081 acres (526.42 km2),[1] is jointly managed by theU.S. Forest Service andBureau of Land Management (BLM) and is mostly within theSequoia National Forest.[2]
Domeland Wilderness was created by the federalWilderness Act of 1964 and expanded by theCalifornia Desert Protection Act of 1994, adding 36,000 acres (150 km2) of BLM land.[3]
The wilderness area is prone to large wildfires with the Manter wildfire in July 2000 burning more than 74,000 acres (300 km2) of the wilderness.[4] The area also was burned by the Trout and Long Fires of 2024.[5]
Elevations range from 2,800 feet (850 m) up to 9,977 feet (3,041 m).
The wilderness protects the southern area of theKern Plateau with the Wild and ScenicSouth Fork Kern River bisecting the wilderness down the middle from north to south. The highest area of the plateau is the middle of the wilderness with large expanses of bedrock with cliffs, domes and spires that give the wilderness its name. One of the most outstanding rock formations is Church Dome.[6] Interspersed with these formations are mixed conifer forests ranging fromwhite fir andJeffrey pine toLimber Pine andfoxtail pine at the highest elevations.
The western boundary is defined by a broken granite ridge with another ridge divide at the northern boundary. Large meadows occur in the wilderness and provide summer range for the Kern River deer herd and the Monarche herd as well. Other animals in the wilderness include themountain lion,bobcat, andAmerican black bear. A large population ofrattlesnakes reside within the wilderness and visitors should use extra caution, especially in the area of the South Fork Kern River.[2]
Extreme heat in the summer months as well as low water makes the Domeland lightly visited until autumn, winter or spring.
Activities in the wilderness arecross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter, as well as day-hiking, backpacking, fishing and rock climbing.
There are three campgrounds near the wilderness: Long Valley, Chimney Rock and Kennedy Meadows.
ThePacific Crest Trail runs through the wilderness for seven miles (11 km) next to the South Fork Kern River. The Rockhouse Trail follows the river for another four miles (6.4 km). A ford across the river is required to access higher elevations in the wilderness. The trails in the wilderness traverse the variety of topography and can be accessed via 10 trailheads. The Domeland Trail goes through the most rugged, rocky part of the wilderness.
Fishing forbrown trout andrainbow trout is popular at this part of South Fork Kern River as well as other streams such as Fish Creek, Manter Creek, Taylor Creek and Trout Creek. The upper reaches of these creeks can containgolden trout.
Rock climbing in Domeland Wilderness is possible, with seldom climbed class 5+ routes.
The Forest Service encourages the practice ofLeave No Trace principles of outdoor travel to minimizehuman impact on the environment.
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