Golden Trout Wilderness

Golden Trout Wilderness spans over 305,000 acres of federally protected backcountry in California, managed by the Forest Service as a primitive, non-motorized landscape. The area offers backcountry hiking and backpacking for visitors seeking solitude and untrammeled wilderness experience, with no roads, motors, or mechanized travel permitted.

Access is on foot only, and all users must follow Leave No Trace principles to protect the landscape. Summer and early fall represent the primary visiting season, when snow melts and high-country routes become passable. Winter conditions close most access points and make travel hazardous without specialized skills and gear.