Monarch Wilderness

The Monarch Wilderness (also Monarch Wilderness Complex) is a federally designated wilderness area located 70 miles east of Fresno, California, in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. It encompasses 44,896 acres (181.69 km2) within both the Sequoia National Forest and the Sierra National Forest and is managed by the United States Forest Service. Elevations range from 950 feet (290 m) to 11,081 ft (3,377 m).

Formerly known as the High Sierra Primitive Area, the California Wilderness Act of 1984 created the Monarch Wilderness and became part of the National Wilderness Preservation System.

Adjacent to the wilderness are several roadless areas: Kings Range Special Management Area (SMA), Agnew Roadless Area and the Oat Mountain Roadless Area. The name Monarch Wilderness Complex includes the wilderness proper and these adjacent lands for a total size of 114,347 acres (462.75 km2).

The wilderness portion is separated into north and south units by the corridor of State Route 180. The larger northern half has the South and Middle Forks of the Kings River. The Middle Fork is a rugged area with a steep gorge about 6,000 feet (1,800 m) deep. From the river the Tombstone Ridge rises to an elevation of 9,071 feet (2,765 m) at the summit of The Obelisk. Major tributaries in the north unit are Tombstone Creek and Silver Creek. Also in the north unit is the Monarch Divide, crowned by peaks such as Wren Peak (9,450 ft or 2,880 m), Mount Harrington (11,009 ft or 3,356 m), and an unnamed high point summit at 11,081 ft (3,377 m). The lowest and highest elevations in the north unit are separated by as much as 8,700 feet (2,700 m) of relief.

The south unit was formerly a part of the Agnew Roadless Area and contains groves of Giant Sequoia including the Agnew Grove which is one of the few groves in the Sierra outside the boundaries of the Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness.

Native species of rare plants include Congdon's lewisia (Lewisia congdonii), state-listed as rare in 1982 and the Tehipite Valley jewelflower (Streptanthus fenestratus). Also the woollyhead lessingia (Lessingia hololeuca) and Hall's daisy (Erigeron aequifolius), both of the Aster family.