Monarch Wilderness

The Monarch Wilderness, shared with Sierra National Forest, is split into two areas by the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway. Beautiful and dramatic, this wilderness rises from 2,000 feet in elevation at the South Fork of the Kings River to over 11,000 feet. The vegetation ranges from chaparral to sub-alpine, with Giant Sequoia groves dominating the southern sections of the area. Numerous mountain meadows, lakes, creeks, and spectacular geological formations add to the beauty. Three trailheads access over 30 miles of trails within the Monarch. In the northern section of the wilderness, several of these trails also lead you into Kings Canyon National Park's spectacular backcountry.

There are three trailheads into the Monarch Wilderness:

• Deer Cove Trailhead  - Open
• Deer Meadow Trailhead - Closed - 
• Kennedy Meadow Trailhead -  (Kanawyer Trail) – Closed 

See Forest Order 0513 -20-28: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd779186.pdf  Forest Order Map: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd779213.pdf

Wilderness Blogs you may want to visit!

Monarch – https://monarchwilderness.wordpress.com/

JLW – https://jennielakeswilderness.wordpress.com/

At a Glance