Jennie Lakes Wilderness, Nature reserve in Tulare County, California.
Jennie Lakes Wilderness is a protected nature reserve in the Sierra Nevada featuring mountain lakes, rocky peaks, and evergreen forests at high elevation. The terrain rises from around 7,000 feet to over 10,300 feet at its highest point.
This wilderness area was established in 1984 through federal legislation that designated it as a protected landscape. The designation placed it within the national system of protected wilderness areas.
Sam Ellis named Jennie Lake for his wife, Jennie Cortney Ellis, after finding the lake in 1890. He later became Chief Game Warden for Fresno County and from 1914 led efforts to stock golden trout in Sierra lakes and streams. The name survives on maps and trail signs.
The wilderness has four main entry points that lead into well-marked trail systems for hiking and backpacking. Visitors should prepare for changing mountain weather and bring appropriate gear for high-altitude conditions.
Boulder Creek canyon, 1,000 feet (300 m) deep, bisects the wilderness; the eastern half is a high plateau, the western half is dominated by Shell Mountain at 9,594 feet (2,924 m). Six lakes lie within the area, and Jennie Lake, the largest and highest at about 9,000 feet, drains into Boulder Creek, a major tributary of the South Fork Kings River.
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