Owens Peak, in California, is the highest point in the southern Sierra Nevada at more than 8,400 feet and stands near the center of the Owens Peak Wilderness. Its location where the Sierra Nevada, Great Basin, and Mojave Desert meet creates an unusual ecosystem, and its eastern watershed opens into Grapevine, Short, and Indian Wells canyons. The surrounding wilderness, named for the peak, was designated by Congress in 1994 and covers 74,060 acres. The mountain was named for Richard Owens, who accompanied John C. Frémont to California in 1845–1846 and later served in the Mexican–American War and in California's government.