Jennie Lakes Wilderness is a protected area in the Sierra Nevada, in

Tulare County, California Tulare County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 473,117. The county seat is Visalia. The county is named for Tulare Lake, once the largest freshwater lake west of the Great Lake ...

. It is located east of

Fresno Fresno () is a major city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley region. It covers about and had a population of 542,107 in 2020, maki ...

and managed by the

US Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency inc ...

. Jennie Lakes Wilderness is about nine square miles within the

Sequoia National Forest Sequoia National Forest is located in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains of California. The U.S. National Forest is named for the majestic Giant Sequoia (''Sequoiadendron giganteum'') trees which populate 38 distinct groves within the boundari ...

, that was established by the

California Wilderness Act of 1984 The California Wilderness Act of 1984 is a federal law (Public Law 98-425), passed by the United States Congress on September 28, 1984, that authorized the addition of over within the state of California to the National Wilderness Preservation ...

, and added to the National Wilderness Preservation System. The Jennie Lakes Wilderness is a classic high Sierra landscape. It is a 10,500 acre area with a mixture of lakes, mountain peaks, forests, meadows and streams, most of which is above in elevation. The wilderness contains variations of alpine and sub-alpine forest. Lodgepole Pines, Red and White Firs and White (Mountain) Pine dominate the area, while Jeffrey Pines and a few juniper are also present. In the summer, wildflowers are common. Jennie Lake sits about above sea level and Weaver Lake is slightly lower. The summit of Mitchell Peak is the highest point in the wilderness at and features views of the surrounding area and of Kings Canyon National Park. In the Jennie Lakes Wilderness, there are two principal lakes, Jennie Ellis Lake and Weaver Lake. Both lakes tend to be busy on weekends (especially holidays). Weaver Lake attracts many day hikers as it lies close to the trailhead. Jennie Lake is often a stop for hikers coming from or going into Sequoia National Park to the south. Smaller and more remote, there is also a pond above JO Pass about a mile east of Jennie Lake and "Poison Pond" sits about a half-mile south of Weaver Lake. Both have a few campsites around them.

Geography

Jennie Lakes Wilderness is situated immediately north of

Sequoia National Park Sequoia National Park is an American national park in the southern Sierra Nevada east of Visalia, California. The park was established on September 25, 1890, and today protects of forested mountainous terrain. Encompassing a vertical relief ...

and west of

Kings Canyon National Park Kings Canyon National Park is an American national park in the southern Sierra Nevada, in Fresno and Tulare Counties, California. Originally established in 1890 as General Grant National Park, the park was greatly expanded and renamed to King ...

. The wilderness area is bisected by the Boulder Creek canyon that is deep. The eastern half is a high plateau bounded by a ridge and the western half is dominated by Shell Mountain as well as Weaver Lake. Elevations range from at Mitchell Peak. There are six lakes within the wilderness, with Jennie Lake the largest and highest in elevation at . Boulder Creek flows from Jennie Lake and is a major tributary to the South Fork Kings River. Stony Creek begins south of Shell Mountain and flows into the North Fork

Kaweah River The Kaweah River is a river draining the southern Sierra Nevada in Tulare County, California in the United States. Fed primarily by high elevation snowmelt along the Great Western Divide, the Kaweah begins as four forks in Sequoia National Park ...

Ecology

Red fir ''Abies magnifica'', the red fir or silvertip fir, is a western North American fir, native to the mountains of southwest Oregon and California in the United States. It is a high-elevation tree, typically occurring at elevation, though only rare ...

and

lodgepole pine ''Pinus contorta'', with the common names lodgepole pine and shore pine, and also known as twisted pine, and contorta pine, is a common tree in western North America. It is common near the ocean shore and in dry montane forests to the subalpin ...

are the primary forest cover with granitic outcroppings typical of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Black bears are common in the area.

Recreation

Recreational activities include day

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

backpacking Backpacking may refer to: * Backpacking (travel), low-cost, independent, international travel * Backpacking (hiking), trekking and camping overnight in the wilderness * Ultralight backpacking, a style of wilderness backpacking with an emphasis on ...

, horsepacking,

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

, and cross-country

skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee ( ...

. There are four trailheads that give access to 26 miles of trails as well as connecting walkers to the Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park's backcountry - Big Meadow, Rowell Meadow, Marvin Pass and Stony Creek. The Forest Service encourages the practice of Leave No Trace principles of outdoor travel to minimize

human impact on the environment Human impact on the environment (or anthropogenic impact) refers to changes to biophysical environments and to ecosystems, biodiversity, and natural resources caused directly or indirectly by humans. Modifying the environment to fit the need ...

. Campers are expected to avoid camping within 100' of either of the main lakes. Due to growing overuse, a Forest Order is in effect during the busy summer season to help protect the riparian areas near the lakeshores.Jennie Lakes & Monarch Wilderness - Sequoia National Forest - SCA Volunteers
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References

Footnotes

Adkinson, Ro
''Wild Northern California''
The Globe Pequot Press, 2001

External links