The Kern River is the biggest waterway in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains. Its headwaters start near Mount Whitney and eventually make their way down the granite gorge of the Lower Kern into the citrus groves near Bakersfield, CA. The Upper Kern is the stretch of river above Lake Isabella, north of Kernville, along the paved highway leading to the Forks of the Kern.
Standing at the dam of Isabella, face toward the Mojave desert, and coming from the east is the South Fork Kern River. This slice of wilderness forest heaven descends down from the Eastern Sierra, high meadow glory on the Inyo and Sequoia National Forests borders. Monache Meadows is the place to really experience camping seclusion and fly fishing on the Kern's SouthFork. This is an awesome backpacking destinations, as many hiking trailheads lead to the Golden Trout Wilderness or South Sierra Wilderness. Olancha Peak @ 12,123' elevation, can be easily reached by a day hike from the back of Monache. There are NO DEVELOPED Campgrounds out here, nor are there any services or facilities of any kind.
Here's the catch. This high alpine, 8000 foot pristine mountain meadow can be hard to reach by vehicle. The dirt road is marked "4x4 Jeep Road" - but 2WD SUVs have been known to tackle it without a problem. In the winter with deep snows, forget it. Maybe you can get a snow-mobile back here, but you would need to verify that with the rangers over at Black Rock, near Troy Meadows, just west of Kennedy Mdws.
To access this forest region you can come 3 different ways (via automobile)
From MOJAVE, Hwy 395 - Northbound, before Little Lake, take the paved left on County Rd J41 (Nine Mile Cyn) and go straight past Kennedy Meadows to Black Rock.
From Kernville, Hwy 155 - Sierra Hwy N, cross Johnsondale Bridge, right turn on Sherman's Pass, near Troy Meadows turn left to Black Rock.
From Canebrake, Hwy 178 - Take dirt road Chimney Peak, N to Kennedy Meadows, left turn to Troy Meadows, then right to Black Rock.
MAPS OF THIS REGION -
Inyo National Forest Map
Sequoia National Forest Map
Domeland Wilderness USDA
Golden Trout Wilderness USDA
South Sierra Wilderness
Golden Trout Wilderness Map
