1988 Map of Kern Lake

About this map

The Great Western Divide dominates this high-altitude landscape in the southern Sierra Nevada, where the High Sierra meets the deep incision of Kern Canyon. At the heart of the Golden Trout Wilderness, the Kern River flows through a series of natural basins including Kern Lake and Little Kern Lake, areas shaped by massive geologic movements. The remote character of the late 20th century is evident in the sparse human markers, limited to the Kern Canyon Ranger Station and isolated high-country outposts like Lion Meadows. Evidence of the area's volcanic history is preserved at Volcano Falls near Golden Trout Creek. The terrain is defined by dramatic elevation changes, from the heights of Angora Mountain and Coyote Peaks down to the alluvial floors of Grasshopper Flat. Researchers can trace the network of alpine drainages such as Hell For Sure Creek and Leggett Creek as they existed before modern environmental shifts.