Monarch Wilderness Area

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks


A stunning wilderness area 44,000 acres in size and bisected by the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway (Hwy 180). Monarch includes dramatic, high-elevation alpine scenery and backcountry trails. Due to the massive 2015 Rough Fire, Monarch's landscape has changed considerably, however, it still offers the opportunity to hike through isolated Giant Sequoias.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks attractions

1. Grizzly Falls

2.88 MILES

The base of these 80ft falls is a short walk from Hwy 180, about 4 miles west of Cedar Grove in Kings Canyon. There's a picnic area here with bathrooms.

2. Cedar Grove

6.54 MILES

Cedar Grove, at the bottom of Kings Canyon, is the last outpost of civilization before you reach the rugged grandeur of the Sierra Nevada backcountry. The…

3. Junction View

6.56 MILES

Panoramic roadside pullout on the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway with soaring views of Rodger's Ridge, Spanish Mountain, Deer Ridge, Deer Canyon, Crown Rock,…

4. Hume Lake Recreation Area

8.12 MILES

When it was dammed in 1908, this 87-acre artificial lake powered a huge log flume that whisked sequoias harvested in Converse Basin to a mill more than 70…

5. Buck Rock Fire Lookout

8.26 MILES

Built in 1923 and staffed during the wildfire season, this fire lookout is one of the finest restored watchtowers you could ever hope to visit. A total of…

6. Knapp’s Cabin

8.42 MILES

During the 1920s, wealthy Santa Barbara businessman George Knapp built this simple wood-shingled cabin to store gear in during his extravagant fishing and…

7. Roaring River Falls

9.2 MILES

A five-minute walk on a paved trail (0.3 miles) leads to one of the park’s most accessible waterfalls, a 40ft chute gushing into a granite bowl. In late…

8. Zumwalt Meadow

9.72 MILES

This verdant meadow, bordered by the Kings River and soaring granite walls, offers phenomenal views. In the early morning, the air hums with birdsong, the…