South Sierra Wilderness
South Sierra Wilderness is a 60,280-acre wilderness area in Tulare County, California. It rises from about 5,924 to 12,111 ft. The nearest town is Kennedy Meadows, 1.9 miles away in a straight line.
South Sierra Wilderness map
South Sierra Wilderness boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.
Fire restrictions
Fire restriction orders for this unit are not tracked here yet. Restrictions change with the season, so check the current orders before any campfire, stove or target shooting.
Common questions
- The maximum group size at South Sierra Wilderness is 15.
- Kennedy Meadows, CA is the nearest town, 1.9 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance).
- The highest ground in South Sierra Wilderness is about 12,111 ft, and its lowest about 5,924 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model). Its highest named summit is Round Mountain, about 9,878 ft.
Who manages South Sierra Wilderness
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Service | 60,280 | Not on record | 15 | Not on record | Inyo National Forest, 760-873-2400 |
Getting to South Sierra Wilderness
- Kennedy Meadows, CA is the nearest town, 1.9 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-29)
Trailheads at South Sierra Wilderness
- Olancha Pass/Sage Flat Trailhead (0.1 mi outside the boundary, 5,846 ft), at 36.2257, -118.0615
Trailhead locations: Forest Service recreation sites layer , accessed 2026-09-29. Elevations from USGS 3DEP.
Named summits, canyons, and springs in South Sierra Wilderness
- Round Mountain summit
- Crag Peak summit
- Deer Mountain summit
- Cow Canyon canyon
- Aqua Bonita Spring spring
Features whose official location is inside the boundary, from the USGS Geographic Names Information System, accessed 2026-09-29. Summit elevations measured on the USGS 3DEP elevation model, which can read a few feet under a surveyed summit height.
Fishing and water
Kern River South Fork fishing (0.2 miles outside the boundary): its fishing and stocking record on fishypedia.com.
Public lands next to South Sierra Wilderness
- National forest Most of South Sierra Wilderness lies inside Inyo National Forest.
- Wilderness areaSouth Sierra Wilderness borders Golden Trout Wilderness.
- National forestSouth Sierra Wilderness borders Sequoia National Forest.
- Wilderness areaDomeland Wilderness is 0.1 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
- Wilderness areaSacatar Trail Wilderness is 2.2 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.
Other wilderness areas in California
- https://wilderness.net/visit-wilderness/?ID=569 (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n37w119/USGS_1_n37w119.tif (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/GeographicNames/DomesticNames/DomesticNames_CA_Text.zip (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2025_Gazetteer/2025_gaz_place_06.txt (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://apps.fs.usda.gov/arcx/rest/services/EDW/EDW_InfraRecreationSites_01/MapServer/0 (accessed 2026-09-29)