Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness
Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness is a 99,548-acre wilderness area in Riverside County, California. It rises from about 609 to 4,498 ft. The nearest town is Desert Center, 3.2 miles away in a straight line.
Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness map
Chuckwalla Mountains 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
- Desert Center, CA is the nearest town, 3.2 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance).
- The highest ground in Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness is about 4,498 ft, and its lowest about 609 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model). Its highest named summit is Black Butte, about 4,498 ft.
Who manages Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLM | 99,548 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record | Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, 760-833-7100 |
Getting to Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness
- Desert Center, CA is the nearest town, 3.2 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-29)
Named summits, canyons, and springs in Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness
- Black Butte summit
- Pilot Mountain summit
- Sharp Peak summit
- Crystal Springs Canyon canyon
- Spring Tank 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 Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness
- BLM unitChuckwalla Mountains Wilderness lies inside Chuckwalla National Monument.
- National Park Service unitJoshua Tree National Park is 2.5 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
- Wilderness areaJoshua Tree Wilderness is 2.8 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.
Other wilderness areas in California
- https://wilderness.net/visit-wilderness/?ID=121 (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n34w116/USGS_1_n34w116.tif (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/GeographicNames/DomesticNames/DomesticNames_CA_Text.zip (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2025_Gazetteer/2025_gaz_place_06.txt (accessed 2026-09-29)