California Wilderness Areas
California has 154 designated wilderness areas on record. 13 require a permit in at least part of the area. 41 have a published camping stay limit.
California wilderness areas map
- Unit color: managing agency:
- Bureau of Land Management
- Forest Service
- Fish and Wildlife Service
- National Park Service
- Two or more agencies
Land managed by (switch layers on or off)
Land ownership: USGS PAD-US 4.1, dissolved by manager and simplified (parcels under about 2 square km not shown). Unit boundaries simplified. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.
| Agua Tibia Wilderness | Riverside County | BLM, Forest Service | 18,002 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Ansel Adams Wilderness | Madera County | National Park Service, Forest Service | 231,619 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Argus Range Wilderness | Inyo County | BLM | 65,726 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Avawatz Mountains Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 89,500 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Beauty Mountain Wilderness | Riverside County | BLM | 15,628 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Big Maria Mountains Wilderness | Riverside County | BLM | 45,384 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 14,645 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Bighorn Mountain Wilderness | San Bernardino County | Forest Service, BLM | 38,599 | Not on record | Not on record | 12 |
| Black Mountain Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 20,548 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Bright Star Wilderness | Kern County | BLM | 8,191 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Bristol Mountains Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 71,389 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Bucks Lake Wilderness | Plumas County | Forest Service | 23,578 | Not on record | Not on record | 25 |
| Buzzards Peak Wilderness | Imperial County | BLM | 11,840 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Cache Creek Wilderness | Lake County | BLM | 27,296 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Cadiz Dunes Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 19,935 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Cahuilla Mountain Wilderness | Riverside County | Forest Service | 5,575 | Not on record | Not on record | 12 |
| Caribou Wilderness | Lassen County | Forest Service | 20,839 | Not on record | 14 days | 25 |
| Carrizo Gorge Wilderness | San Diego County | BLM | 14,740 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Carson-Iceberg Wilderness | Alpine County | Forest Service | 158,147 | Required (in part or all) | Not on record | 15 |
| Castle Crags Wilderness | Siskiyou County | Forest Service | 10,999 | Not on record | Not on record | 25 |
| Cedar Roughs Wilderness | Napa County | BLM | 6,287 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Chanchelulla Wilderness | Trinity County | Forest Service | 8,022 | Not on record | Not on record | 25 |
| Chemehuevi Mountains Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 85,864 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Chimney Peak Wilderness | Tulare County | BLM | 13,140 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness | Riverside County | BLM | 99,548 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Chumash Wilderness | Ventura County | Forest Service | 37,793 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 39,167 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Clipper Mountain Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 33,843 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Coso Range Wilderness | Inyo County | BLM | 49,296 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Coyote Mountains Wilderness | Imperial County | BLM | 18,631 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Cucamonga Wilderness | San Bernardino County | Forest Service | 13,007 | Not on record | 21 days | 12 |
| Darwin Falls Wilderness | Inyo County | BLM | 8,189 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Dead Mountains Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 47,158 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Death Valley Wilderness | Inyo County | National Park Service | 3,190,455 | Not on record | Not on record | 12 |
| Desolation Wilderness | El Dorado County | Forest Service | 64,041 | Required (in part or all) | Not on record | 12 |
| Dick Smith Wilderness | Santa Barbara County | Forest Service | 71,275 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Dinkey Lakes Wilderness | Fresno County | Forest Service | 30,863 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Domeland Wilderness | Tulare County | Forest Service, BLM | 133,720 | Not on record | Not on record | 15 |
| El Paso Mountains Wilderness | Kern County | BLM | 23,679 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Elkhorn Ridge Wilderness | Mendocino County | BLM | 11,001 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Emigrant Wilderness | Tuolumne County | Forest Service | 112,723 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Farallon Wilderness | San Francisco County | Fish and Wildlife Service | 141 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Fish Creek Mountains Wilderness | Imperial County | BLM | 21,390 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Funeral Mountains Wilderness | Inyo County | BLM | 25,707 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Garcia Wilderness | San Luis Obispo County | Forest Service | 13,987 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Golden Trout Wilderness | Tulare County | Forest Service | 303,713 | Required (in part or all) | 14 days | 15 |
| Golden Valley Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 37,786 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Granite Chief Wilderness | Placer County | Forest Service | 28,374 | Not on record | Not on record | 12 |
| Granite Mountain Wilderness | Mono County | BLM | 31,059 | Not on record | Not on record | 15 |
| Grass Valley Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 30,186 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Great Falls Basin Wilderness | Inyo County | BLM | 7,810 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Hain Wilderness | San Benito County | National Park Service | 15,985 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Hauser Wilderness | San Diego County | Forest Service | 6,919 | Required (in part or all) | Not on record | 15 |
| Havasu Wilderness | Mohave County | Fish and Wildlife Service | 17,801 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Hollow Hills Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 22,366 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Hoover Wilderness | Mono County | Forest Service | 128,044 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Ibex Wilderness | Inyo County | BLM | 28,822 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Imperial Refuge Wilderness | La Paz County | Fish and Wildlife Service | 15,056 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Indian Pass Wilderness | Imperial County | BLM | 43,279 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Inyo Mountains Wilderness | Inyo County | Forest Service, BLM | 199,208 | Not on record | Not on record | 15 |
| Ishi Wilderness | Tehama County | BLM, Forest Service | 42,079 | Not on record | 14 days | 25 |
| Jacumba Wilderness | Imperial County | BLM | 31,358 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Jennie Lakes Wilderness | Tulare County | Forest Service | 10,510 | Not required | Not on record | 15 |
| John Krebs Wilderness | Tulare County | National Park Service | 39,740 | Required (in part or all) | Not on record | 15 |
| John Muir Wilderness | Fresno County | Forest Service | 652,903 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Joshua Tree Wilderness | Riverside County | National Park Service | 595,364 | Required (in part or all) | Not on record | 12 |
| Kaiser Wilderness | Fresno County | Forest Service | 21,986 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Kelso Dunes Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 144,915 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Kiavah Wilderness | Kern County | BLM, Forest Service | 86,245 | Not on record | Not on record | 15 |
| King Range Wilderness | Humboldt County | BLM | 42,695 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Kingston Range Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 252,149 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Lassen Volcanic Wilderness | Shasta County | National Park Service | 79,061 | Required (in part or all) | Not on record | Not on record |
| Lava Beds Wilderness | Siskiyou County | National Park Service | 28,460 | Not on record | Not on record | 12 |
| Little Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness | Riverside County | BLM | 28,052 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Little Picacho Wilderness | Imperial County | BLM | 38,216 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Machesna Mountain Wilderness | San Luis Obispo County | BLM, Forest Service | 18,278 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Magic Mountain Wilderness | Los Angeles County | Forest Service | 12,178 | Not on record | 21 days | 25 |
| Malpais Mesa Wilderness | Inyo County | BLM | 31,906 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Manly Peak Wilderness | Inyo County | BLM | 12,897 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Marble Mountain Wilderness | Siskiyou County | Forest Service | 225,114 | Not on record | Not on record | 15 |
| Matilija Wilderness | Ventura County | Forest Service | 29,207 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Mecca Hills Wilderness | Riverside County | BLM | 26,356 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Mesquite Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 44,804 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Milpitas Wash Wilderness | Imperial County | BLM | 17,250 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Mojave Wilderness | San Bernardino County | National Park Service | 695,200 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Mokelumne Wilderness | Alpine County | Forest Service | 104,048 | Required (in part or all) | Not on record | 12 |
| Monarch Wilderness | Fresno County | Forest Service | 44,223 | Not on record | Not on record | 15 |
| Mount Lassic Wilderness | Humboldt County | Forest Service | 7,272 | Not on record | 14 days | 25 |
| Mt. Shasta Wilderness | Siskiyou County | Forest Service | 36,981 | Required (in part or all) | Not on record | 10 |
| Newberry Mountains Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 26,102 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Nopah Range Wilderness | Inyo County | BLM | 106,623 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| North Algodones Dunes Wilderness | Imperial County | BLM | 25,895 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| North Fork Wilderness | Trinity County | Forest Service | 8,158 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| North Mesquite Mountains Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 28,955 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Old Woman Mountains Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 165,172 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Orocopia Mountains Wilderness | Riverside County | BLM | 51,289 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Otay Mountain Wilderness | San Diego County | BLM | 16,893 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Owens Peak Wilderness | Kern County | BLM | 73,868 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Owens River Headwaters Wilderness | Mono County | Forest Service | 14,698 | Not on record | Not on record | 15 |
| Pahrump Valley Wilderness | Inyo County | BLM | 73,726 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Palen/McCoy Wilderness | Riverside County | BLM | 236,488 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Palo Verde Mountains Wilderness | Imperial County | BLM | 39,955 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Phillip Burton Wilderness | Marin County | National Park Service | 27,315 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Picacho Peak Wilderness | Imperial County | BLM | 8,860 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Pine Creek Wilderness | San Diego County | Forest Service | 13,260 | Required (in part or all) | Not on record | 15 |
| Pinto Mountains Wilderness | Riverside County | BLM | 24,348 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Piper Mountain Wilderness | Inyo County | BLM | 72,192 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Piute Mountains Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 48,080 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Pleasant View Ridge Wilderness | Los Angeles County | Forest Service | 26,839 | Not on record | 21 days | 25 |
| Red Buttes Wilderness | Siskiyou County | Forest Service | 20,130 | Not on record | Not on record | 8 |
| Resting Spring Range Wilderness | Inyo County | BLM | 76,312 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Rice Valley Wilderness | Riverside County | BLM | 41,777 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Riverside Mountains Wilderness | Riverside County | BLM | 24,004 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Rocks and Islands Wilderness | Humboldt County | BLM | 6 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Rodman Mountains Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 34,264 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Russian Wilderness | Siskiyou County | Forest Service | 12,521 | Not on record | Not on record | 15 |
| Sacatar Trail Wilderness | Inyo County | BLM | 50,451 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Saddle Peak Hills Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 1,530 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| San Gabriel Wilderness | Los Angeles County | Forest Service | 35,738 | Not on record | 21 days | 25 |
| San Gorgonio Wilderness | San Bernardino County | Forest Service, BLM | 101,574 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| San Jacinto Wilderness | Riverside County | Forest Service | 32,186 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| San Mateo Canyon Wilderness | Riverside County | Forest Service | 39,412 | Required (in part or all) | Not on record | 15 |
| San Rafael Wilderness | Santa Barbara County | Forest Service | 191,104 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Sanhedrin Wilderness | Mendocino County | Forest Service | 10,666 | Not on record | Not on record | 25 |
| Santa Lucia Wilderness | San Luis Obispo County | BLM, Forest Service | 20,241 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Santa Rosa Wilderness | Riverside County | BLM, Forest Service | 78,576 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Sawtooth Mountains Wilderness | San Diego County | BLM | 33,772 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness | Tulare County | National Park Service | 768,222 | Required (in part or all) | Not on record | Not on record |
| Sespe Wilderness | Ventura County | Forest Service | 219,209 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Sheep Mountain Wilderness | Los Angeles County | Forest Service | 43,182 | Not on record | 21 days | 25 |
| Sheephole Valley Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 188,169 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Silver Peak Wilderness | Monterey County | Forest Service | 31,415 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Siskiyou Wilderness | Siskiyou County | Forest Service | 179,847 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Snow Mountain Wilderness | Lake County | Forest Service | 60,222 | Not on record | Not on record | 25 |
| Soda Mountains Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 80,090 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| South Fork Eel River Wilderness | Mendocino County | BLM | 12,868 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| South Fork San Jacinto Wilderness | Riverside County | Forest Service | 20,158 | Not on record | Not on record | 12 |
| South Nopah Range Wilderness | Inyo County | BLM | 17,059 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| South Sierra Wilderness | Tulare County | Forest Service | 60,280 | Not on record | Not on record | 15 |
| South Warner Wilderness | Modoc County | Forest Service | 70,206 | Not on record | Not on record | 25 |
| Stateline Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 6,964 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Stepladder Mountains Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 83,195 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Surprise Canyon Wilderness | Inyo County | BLM | 24,433 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Sylvania Mountains Wilderness | Inyo County | BLM | 18,682 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Thousand Lakes Wilderness | Shasta County | Forest Service | 16,526 | Not on record | 14 days | 25 |
| Trilobite Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 37,308 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Trinity Alps Wilderness | Trinity County | Forest Service | 537,357 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Turtle Mountains Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 177,309 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| Ventana Wilderness | Monterey County | BLM, Forest Service | 236,726 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
| Whipple Mountains Wilderness | San Bernardino County | BLM | 76,123 | Not on record | 14 days | Not on record |
| White Mountains Wilderness | Mono County | Forest Service, BLM | 230,966 | Not on record | Not on record | 15 |
| Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness | Trinity County | BLM, Forest Service | 182,298 | Not on record | Not on record | 25 |
| Yosemite Wilderness | Mariposa County | National Park Service | 704,624 | Required (in part or all) | Not on record | 15 |
| Yuki Wilderness | Mendocino County | Forest Service, BLM | 56,239 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |