It was established on February 14, 1893, by President Benjamin Harrison with authorization from section 24 of the Forest Reserve Act of 1891.
The Sierra Reserve beginnings, like the San Gabriel Reserve, were by petitions sent to the US Congress from Tulare County officials wanting to stop the damage in the Sierra Nevada by timber and livestock commercial interests.
The majority of local citizens were supportive, any protests heard were coming from the sheepmen.
Conservationist and later Venice, California founder Abbot Kinney and Century magazine editor Robert Underwood Johnson gave their support of the proposed set aside.
Benjamin Allen, in his final report, reduced the size and changed the name to Sierra Forest Reserve.