Jennie Lakes & Monarch Wilderness -
Sequoia National Forest
DEER COVE TRAILHEAD
Deer Cove Trail (#30E01)
Deer Cove trailhead up to Wildman Meadow & Grizzly Lakes:
For the wildest of wilderness experiences in the northern section of Sequoia National Forest, Deer Cove is your spot! A very challenging hike will lead you to isolated peaks and a pristine lake. But you have to earn it. The hike up to Wildman Meadow is a difficult but rewarding saunter, and offers an isolated overnight near the meadow. Grizzly Lakes is an excellent spot for isolation and absolutely beautiful high Sierra views, as seen by the epic Kings Canyon National Park backcountry that you can gaze into over the Monarch Divide. Mount Harrington, the highest point in the Monarch wilderness, stands at over 11,000 feet, and lies just to the west of Grizzly Lakes. Just north of the lake sits Mt. Despair, another stunning high Sierra peak. Above the Lakes the entire span of the Monarch Divide towers over Kings Canyon proper and the spectacular backcountry of the park. We recently completed a two year trail maintenance project in this area and the trail is in the best condition it has been in perhaps 20-25 years. As of August 2017 we had cleared most downed trees and the tread between the trailhead and up to the junction splitting off up to Grizzly Lakes and Frypan Meadow inside Kings Canyon National Park. Only the section from that junction up to Grizzly Lakes remains un-maintained and quite rugged.
The Deer Cove Trail is very steep for about 3 miles as you head towards Deer Cove Creek (a good water source, fill up!), before flattening out for the mile-long section that crosses the Deer Cove Saddle. Arriving at the junction to Choke Creek means you're more than halfway to the meadow. Note that the spur trail to Choke Creek is not maintained and has not been used in some time - keep an eye out for the bear damaged trail sign. You will continue along another mile-long steep climb up a rocky face above the Deer Cove Saddle before dropping smoothly down to Wildman Meadow.
Wildman Meadow is home to the old hunter’s camp. Used by generations of locals this is an isolated and pretty little meadow. There are a few old structures around the meadow but no real campsites. With regular snow and rain, the meadow will flow with water, but in dry seasons we do not recommend camping near here as there is no reliable water source. However, just past Wildman Meadow, at the junction with the trail sign, you can go about ¼ mile west towards Happy Gap to find a good water source (East Fork Creek) and flat ground for camping. Past the creek, the Happy Gap Trail is also un-maintained and quickly becomes covered by downed trees, thick overgrown whitethorn, brush and fire damage. We do not recommend venturing further on towards Happy Gap as this trail is virtually non-existent.
Following the trail north after the junction, you start to hike right along the boundary with the National Park, and about a ¼ mile up there is another trail junction that leads east into Kings Canyon NP with a good trail sign (“Frypan Meadow”). Continue north another ½ mile until you reach a very clearly marked junction with two trail signs and a Monarch Wilderness boundary sign half-eaten by a black bear a few years ago (if you want to see a bear, this area is also a good bet). After this junction, the trail up to Grizzly Lakes becomes very difficult and you will need to pay close attention to the path and your surroundings. Again, this section is not maintained and there are dozens of trees down. We flagged the route to ease access, but proceed with caution. The trail climbs very steeply about 2.5 miles towards the lakes and there are substantial tread and water bar issues along the way. It is not a trail for inexperienced hikers! The path becomes very difficult to follow in places. After climbing a final ridge and winding over to the west you will see Upper Grizzly Lake below you. You can camp at several old established campsites between both of the lakes. Please do not build any new fire rings, and make sure to camp at least 100’ off of the lake.
You will also have the chance to study a lot of different trees from the Deer Cove TH up to Grizzly Lakes. Climbing out of heat of Kings Canyon, you will pass Black and Live Oak, Quaking Aspen, Incense Cedar, Jeffrey and Ponderosa Pine, Red and White Fir and Sugar Pine, as well as numerous beautiful wildflowers in the Summer. A very challenging, but very rewarding adventure into the backcountry!
DEER MEADOW TRAILHEAD:
Deer Meadow Trail (#30E05)
Deer Meadow TH up to the Monarch Wilderness sign:
NOTE: Past the Monarch Wilderness boundary this trail remains closed to the public, due to lingering safety concerns, post Rough Fire. The trail connects to the heavily burned Kanawyer Trail. Check with the HLRD office for updates.
Another victim of recent wildfires, the higher sections of the Deer Meadow Trail are in need of a lot of maintenance, particularly as you pass the wilderness sign and near the junction with the Kanawyer Trail. However, from the trailhead up to the ridge overlooking Kings Canyon is a great day hike and, if you bring water, can be a nice overnight. Look for the old fire ring right on the edge with a great view directly west up Kings Canyon. We do not recommend going past the ridge and the section beyond the chewed up and broken Monarch Wilderness sign is still closed to the public until further notice. The 2+ mile climb up to the ridge does gain some altitude but is not a difficult hike. There are some great views south into the heart of the Jennie Lakes Wilderness to the south from the rocky section of the trail. On the way up to the campsite you’ll also pass Deer Meadow itself and the remains of an old cabin.
Although we recently installed a new trail sign at the Kanawyer/Deer Meadow Trails junction, from the section that splits west down to Boulder Creek and northeast down into Kings Canyon, the trails are all but gone and there is heavy fire damage all throughout this area. We recommend that you not venture past the campsite at the ridge.
KENNEDY MEADOW TRAILHEAD:
1) Kanawyer Trail (#30E04)
Kennedy Meadow TH through Evans Grove and down to Boulder Creek:
NOTE: The Kanawyer remains closed to the public until further notice, due to lingering safety concerns post-Rough Fire (2015). The section past the wilderness boundary sign was ravaged by the fire and is unsafe. We hope to have the Evans Grove Loop opened in the near future, so check with the HLRD office for updates. A old trail report from a few years ago explains the hike if and when we are able to re-open the trail to the public in the coming years…
A very short ascent from the trailhead will take you past excellent views south and east into the heart of the northernmost section of Sequoia National Forest and past the Kennedy Grove of Giant Sequoias about a mile below. After a quick mile or so you drop into the Evans Grove of Giant Sequoias. Continuing on about a ½ mile you will pass two old junctions that lead west into the heart of Evans Grove. Immediately after the second one, you will arrive at the Monarch Wilderness boundary sign. Beyond the boundary a very sharp descent begins that takes you straight down the canyon to Little Boulder Creek. See if you can spot several other Giant Sequoia Groves (Agnew, Deer Meadow, Kennedy) east and south across the valley. The total hike is a short 3.5 miles in distance, but very strenuous particularly when climbing out of the canyon with a full pack (it’s over a 2,500 foot elevation change in about a mile.)
This difficult hike, however, is a botanist’s delight because with the drop into the canyon, you will pass through almost every Sierra altitude range after leaving the trailhead at Kennedy Meadow. It is also the only hike in the Monarch or Jennie Lakes Wilderness where you pass directly through a Sequoia Grove. Enjoy White and Red Firs, Jeffrey and Ponderosa Pines, Sugar Pines, Incense Cedars, and Grandpa Sequoia along the higher elevations. Follow the trail down either of the two junctions that you pass in Evans Grove and head west into the heart of the grove for an excellent day hike among the Giants. As you descend into the canyon you will pass Black and Live Oak, the rare Single Leaf Pinyon Pine, Mountain Mahogany, Yucca, and Quaking Aspen. In the heart of Summer, abundant wildflowers also blossom in the canyon. The hike will be further rewarded when you arrive at the always flowing Boulder Creek, one of the best water sources and swimming areas in either of these Wilderness areas. Fill up your water here!
Note: after the creek and the old washed out bridge (going east up towards the Deer Meadow Trail) the trail basically disappears due to the recent wildfires and is not easy to navigate. We recommend that you do not venture past the creek until significant trail repair can be completed here.