Golden Trout Wilderness, Nature reserve in Inyo County, United States.

Golden Trout Wilderness is a 303,511-acre federal wilderness in the Sierra Nevada, within Inyo and Sequoia national forests. It spans the Kern Plateau, the southern Great Western Divide and the main, South and Little Kern rivers. Elevations run from about 680 feet to 12,894 feet at Cirque Peak.

Congress protected this land in 1978 as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System under Forest Service management. This action came as part of a broader effort to conserve wild mountain regions across America.

The trail system running through this area follows part of a famous long-distance hiking route across high elevations, with most days spent above 10,000 feet. Hikers share these paths with relatively few others, giving the place a remote and quiet character.

All overnight stays need a permit, and a quota applies at the Cottonwood Pass Trailhead. Wood-fueled fires are banned along the Pacific Crest Trail between Cottonwood Pass and the Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness, and also around Rocky Basin Lake. The wilderness holds 379 miles of trail, including a 25-mile stretch of the PCT that stays above 10,000 feet for most of its route.

The area supports a rare fish species, the golden trout, which is California's state fish and occurs naturally in only a few streams here. This fish species was a key reason for protecting the region.