USFS · Wilderness area · California

South Sierra Wilderness

With Golden Trout Wilderness on its northern boundary and Domeland Wilderness on its southern (except for the road to Kennedy Meadows), South Sierra Wilderness straddles the crest of the Sierra Nevada...

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
South Sierra Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateCalifornia
Size60,280 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1984, by Congress
Center point36.1491, -118.1239
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 21)

Boundary map

1 outline

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground

The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 2 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is South Sierra Wilderness?

60,280 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages South Sierra Wilderness?

The U.S. Forest Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is South Sierra Wilderness in?

California.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was South Sierra Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1984.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at South Sierra Wilderness?

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Kennedy Meadows Campground, 0.3 miles out. 2 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.

Source: Where to camp

How do I get to South Sierra Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 36.149, -118.124. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How dark is the night sky at South Sierra Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 21 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Sources

  • Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
  • Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
  • Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
  • Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
  • Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.