Cabeza Prieta Wilderness
Cabeza Prieta Wilderness is an 803,418-acre wilderness area in Yuma County, Arizona. It rises from about 675 to 3,276 ft. The nearest town is Ajo, 4.8 miles away in a straight line.
Cabeza Prieta Wilderness map
Cabeza Prieta Wilderness boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.
Fire restrictions
Fire restriction orders for this unit are not tracked here yet. Restrictions change with the season, so check the current orders before any campfire, stove or target shooting.
Common questions
- Ajo, AZ is the nearest town, 4.8 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance).
- The highest ground in Cabeza Prieta Wilderness is about 3,276 ft, and its lowest about 675 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model). Its highest named summit is Growler Peak, about 3,017 ft.
Who manages Cabeza Prieta Wilderness
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fish and Wildlife Service | 803,418 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record | Visitor Services Specialist, 520-387-6483 |
Getting to Cabeza Prieta Wilderness
- Ajo, AZ is the nearest town, 4.8 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-29)
- Access roads named on the area's wilderness.net page: Interstate 8, Rasmussen Road, Charlie Bell Road, Darby Well Road, Bates Well Road.
Position, roads and vehicle notes: wilderness.net page for Cabeza Prieta Wilderness, accessed 2026-09-29. Roads and conditions change; check with the managing office before driving in.
Named summits, canyons, and springs in Cabeza Prieta Wilderness
- Growler Peak summit
- Buck Peak summit
- Cabeza Prieta Peak summit
- Chia Canyon canyon
- Davidson Canyon canyon
- Agua Dulce Spring spring
- Cabeza Prieta Tanks lake
Features whose official location is inside the boundary, from the USGS Geographic Names Information System, accessed 2026-09-29. Summit elevations measured on the USGS 3DEP elevation model, which can read a few feet under a surveyed summit height.
Public lands next to Cabeza Prieta Wilderness
- National wildlife refugeCabeza Prieta Wilderness lies inside Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge.
- National Park Service unitCabeza Prieta Wilderness borders Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.
- Wilderness areaCabeza Prieta Wilderness borders Organ Pipe Cactus Wilderness.
Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.
Other wilderness areas in Arizona
- https://wilderness.net/visit-wilderness/?ID=90 (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n32w114/USGS_1_n32w114.tif (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n32w113/USGS_1_n32w113.tif (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n33w114/USGS_1_n33w114.tif (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n33w113/USGS_1_n33w113.tif (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/GeographicNames/DomesticNames/DomesticNames_AZ_Text.zip (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2025_Gazetteer/2025_gaz_place_04.txt (accessed 2026-09-29)