| Golden Trout Wilderness | |
|---|---|
 Lookout from the Jordan Trail | |
  Map of the United States Show map of California Golden Trout Wilderness (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Location | Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains,Tulare County /Inyo County,California, United States |
| Nearest city | Porterville, California |
| Coordinates | 36°18′0″N118°19′19″W / 36.30000°N 118.32194°W /36.30000; -118.32194 |
| Area | 303,511 acres (1,228.3 km2) |
| Established | 1978 |
| Governing body | USDA /U.S. Forest Service |
TheGolden Trout Wilderness is a federally designatedwilderness area in theSierra Nevada, inTulare County andInyo County,California. It is located 40 miles (64 km) east ofPorterville withinInyo National Forest andSequoia National Forest.
It is 303,511 acres (1,228.3 km2)[1] in size and was created by theUS Congress in 1978 as part of theNational Wilderness Preservation System. The wilderness is managed by theU.S. Forest Service.
The wilderness is named for and protects the habitat of California's state freshwater fish, thegolden trout.
Elevations range from about 680 feet (210 m) to 12,900 feet (3,900 m).[citation needed]
Within the wilderness are portions of the Kern Plateau, theGreat Western Divide's southern extension, and the main stem of theKern River, the South Fork of the Kern and the Little Kern River.
The wilderness area is bordered on the northeast and northwest by the high peaks of the southern Sierra Nevada.Cirque Peak is the high point at 12,894 feet (3,930 m).[2]
The Kern Plateau is a large tableland with sprawling meadows, narrow grasslands along streams, and forested ridges and flats. The centerpiece of the plateau isKern Peak (11,443 ft)[3] which has far-reaching vistas of the middle and upper Kern River drainage and much of the far southern Sierra, includingOlancha Peak, the southernKaweah Range, the mountains of theMineral King area, and theDome Land Wilderness of the far southern Sierra.
Located in both Sequoia and Inyo national forests, this 500,000-acre (2,000 km2) plateau had been the center of a battle between preservationists and multiple-use advocates. Before 1947, there was little incentive to develop the area, but that changed with the Secretary of Agriculture's plan to manage the area along multiple-use guidelines due to its proximity to population centers. In addition, there was an epidemic of insect damage in the commercial timber, which was estimated at 30 million board feet.[4] A growing market for lumber added more pressure to develop the area and in 1956, a multiple-use management plan was completed that included a timber sale on the plateau.
Wilderness advocates wanted to preserve the plateau, and opposed theForest Service plan at public meetings. But, because no new facts were presented, the Forest Service went ahead with the timber sale which included building an access road. The sale contract contained special provisions to assure that the timber operators recognized them as they logged. A second road was constructed despite strong opposition from theSierra Club,The Wilderness Society and the Kern Plateau Association.
The Kern Plateau controversy in the 1950s deepened the chasm between the Forest Service and wilderness proponents. According to former Regional Forester Doug Leisz, "The Kern Plateau use controversy was the beginning of the preservationists vs. use fight which has since touched public lands over the entire country," although an argument can be made that the battle over theHetch Hetchy Valley withJohn Muir was the beginning.[5]
Wildlife includes the largeMonache deer herd, the sensitiveSierra Nevada red fox,pine martens,cougars, andblack bears.
Thegolden trout is California's state fish.[6] The golden trout is closely related to two otherrainbow trout subspecies found in this wilderness: theLittle Kern golden trout (O. m. whitei), found in theLittle Kern River basin, and theKern River rainbow trout (O. m. gilberti), found in theKern River system. Together, these three trout form what is sometimes referred to as the "Golden Trout Complex".[7] The Little Kern golden trout is listed asthreatened under theEndangered Species Act.[8]
Recreational activities includebackpacking,horseback riding,swimming,day hiking,fishing,hunting,rock climbing,mountaineering,skiing,snowshoeing, andoff-roading.
There are 379 miles (610 km) of trail including thePacific Crest Trail (PCT), which stays above 10,000 feet (3,000 m) elevation for most of the 25-mile (40 km) route through the Golden Trout Wilderness. There are historical sites, such as the Tunnel Meadow and Casa Vieja guard stations, and the 12-mile trail to Jordan Hot Springs along Ninemile Creek. The trail was built in 1861 by John Jordan for access to Olancha from Visalia. Past volcanic activity created the hot springs as well as Groundhog Cone and the Golden Trout Volcanic Field.
Permits are required for all overnight use and there is a quota in effect for the Cottonwood Pass Trailhead.[9]
Other restrictions include a ban on wood-fueled fires along the PCT between Cottonwood Pass to the Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness and also at the Rocky Basin Lake area.
| Mountains |
| |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passes | ||||||||||||
| Rivers | ||||||||||||
| Lakes | ||||||||||||
| Protected areas |
| |||||||||||
| Communities | ||||||||||||
| Ski areas | ||||||||||||
| Trails | ||||||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
