Habitat

As one of the few native fish species in California, the golden trout is found in the subalpine region (elevation > 2,300 meters) of the southern Sierra Nevada mountain range. Golden trout are found in the small and shallow streams of high elevation meadows. The water in these streams tends to be clear and cold, and can fluctuate between 3- to 20-degrees Celsius in the summer months. The native habitat of the state fish is now contained within the Golden Trout Wilderness of the Inyo National Forest.

The Golden Trout Wilderness

The Golden Trout Wilderness encompasses 304,000 acres in an area known as the Kern Plateau, at the southern end of the Sierra Nevada. The area is traversed by several hundred miles of scenic trails and two wild and scenic rivers (North and South Forks of the Kern River). The Golden Trout Wilderness was designated by Congress in 1978. The area is named after California’s brightly colored state fish, which is native only to the waters of the Golden Trout Wilderness.

Alpine Streams and Meadows

Streams that are home to native California golden trout usually run clear, and are relatively shallow (8 - 20cm depth) and narrow (< 2 meters wide). Substrate, or stream beds, in the GTW consist of fine gravel, sand, cobble and rounded rocks. Visual surveys of stream conditions in the GTW in July 2021 and August 2021 found golden trout of varying size and numbers in pools, riffles, runs, and undercut banks. Alpine meadows and wetlands of the GTW are populated with sedges, clumps of grass, willows, wildflowers, and other varieties of alpine vegetation that can withstand temperature extremes, lack of water, and exposure to high levels of solar and ultraviolet radiation. Like other trout, golden trout are territorial and tend to remain within a 20 meter or smaller stretch of stream.

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