Sequoia National Forest

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Wildflowers Photo Gallery

advertisement

South Sierra borders Golden Trout Wilderness on its northern boundary and Dome Land Wilderness on the south, except for the Kennedy Meadows Road corridor. It is all within the South Fork of the Kern River watershed. Wilderness areas in the Sequoia National Forest include Dome Land, South Sierra, Golden Trout, Jennie Lakes, and the Monarch Wilderness Areas.

Nearby towns include Kernville, Camp Nelson, Wofford Heights, Lake Isabella, Poterville, Springville, and Three Rivers. The closest major city is Los Angeles, three hours away from the forest's southern border.

The Sequoia National Forest is the southern end of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range in Central California, and extends from the Kings River on the north to the Kern River on the south. The eastern boundary is the Sierra Nevada Crest where it joins the Inyo National Forest. The Forest extends west to the foothill woodlands along the San Joaquin Valley.

Sequoia NF is north east of Bakersfield, east of Fresno, and east of Porterville. State Highways 155, 178, 180, and 190 lead into the NF from the San Joaquin Valley.

Elevations range from 1,000 feet in the foothill region to peaks over 12,000 feet in the rugged high country, providing visitors with some of the most spectacular views of mountainous landscape in the entire west. The high country has a few fishable lakes and many mountain meadows with wildflower displays until late in the summer.

At lower elevations, broad reaches of forest and grazing land stretch for miles over ridge and valley. Precipitous canyons and mountain streams form beautiful falls, such as South Creek Falls near Johnsondale and Grizzly Falls near Hume Lake. Many excellent opportunities are available for the photographer along the Western Divide Highway. Dome Rock, a massive, granite monolith, forms a vista point overlooking the North Fork of the Kern Wild and Scenic River. Indian Basin, the Kern Plateau, and Quaking Aspen offer spectacular fall color scenes.

The outstanding nature of the Sequoia NF is the monarch of the plant kingdom, the giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum). The Sequoias tower more than 270 feet above the ground and reach diameters of over 30 feet. The Sequoia NF has over 30 groves of these giants. The largest tree in the National Forest system in the United States is the Boole Tree. This giant Sequoia, standing 269 feet high, has a base circumference of 112 feet. It grows just north of Converse Mountain on the Hume Lake Road.

Sequoia NF offers year-round recreation. Visitors may enjoy camping, picnicking, horseback riding, hiking, biking, fishing, hot springs, hunting, sightseeing, winter sports, or nature studies. For the thrill of a lifetime, take a guided paddling trip on the Kern River. There are approximately 50 campgrounds to serve visitors. Trout are in many streams and lakes, and unique golden trout are found in high country streams of the Golden Trout Wilderness.

Principal mammals include deer and bear. Wildlife is abundant. Fishing and hunting seasons and limits are regulated by the California Department of Fish and Game. While visiting here, you will probably see signs of a working forest. Logging occurs in the forest. Water energy is harnessed by hydroelectric operations on several major rivers in the Forest. Forage is a major resource of the Sequoia. Ranchers, under permit, graze cattle on open rangeland in the NF.

Wilderness areas in the Sequoia National Forest include Dome Land, South Sierra, Golden Trout, Jennie Lakes, and the Monarch Wilderness Areas. Group size in these areas is limited to 15 people and 25 head of stock animals. Wilderness permits are required for staying overnight in the Golden Trout Wilderness or on the Pacific Crest Trail.