John Krebs Wilderness
The John Krebs Wilderness is named after John Hans Krebs, a former congressman (1975-1978) who fought to protect the lush hills, forests and steep granite peaks that make up the Mineral King Valley. It...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 39,740 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 2009, by Congress |
| Center point | 36.4129, -118.6696 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 14) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary and 5 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
1 named Forest Service trail enters this wilderness, 10 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Farewell Gap ↗ | 9.8 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas, refreshed September 18, 2026. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 1 miHockett Meadow Ranger Station ↗Silver City, CA
- 3.1 miRedwood Meadow Ranger Station ↗Three Rivers, CA
- 4.7 miQuinn Ranger Station ↗Mineral King, CA
- 5.5 miAsh Mountain Entrance Sign ↗Three Rivers, CA
- 5.6 miBearpaw High Sierra Camp ↗Three Rivers, CA
- 7.2 miMoro Rock Stairway ↗Three Rivers, CA
- 7.8 miTharp's Log ↗Three Rivers, CA
- 7.8 miSquatter's Cabin ↗Three Rivers, CA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is John Krebs Wilderness?
39,740 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages John Krebs Wilderness?
The National Park Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is John Krebs Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was John Krebs Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2009.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at John Krebs Wilderness?
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary, including Atwell Mill Campground. 6 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to John Krebs Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 36.413, -118.670. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks is 16 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How dark is the night sky at John Krebs Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 14 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Which national parks are near John Krebs Wilderness?
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (16 mi) and Manzanar National Historic Site (29 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near John Krebs Wilderness?
14 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Hockett Meadow Ranger Station and Redwood Meadow Ranger Station.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.