Kaiser Wilderness
Kaiser Wilderness is a 21,986-acre wilderness area in Fresno County, California. It rises from about 6,937 to 10,298 ft. The nearest town is Big Creek, 2.3 miles away in a straight line.
Kaiser Wilderness map
Kaiser 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
- Big Creek, CA is the nearest town, 2.3 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance).
- The highest ground in Kaiser Wilderness is about 10,298 ft, and its lowest about 6,937 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model). Its highest named summit is Kaiser Peak, about 10,298 ft.
Who manages Kaiser Wilderness
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Service | 21,986 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record | High Sierra Ranger District, 559-855-5355 |
Getting to Kaiser Wilderness
- Big Creek, CA is the nearest town, 2.3 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-29)
Trailheads at Kaiser Wilderness
- Jackass Lakes Trailhead (inside the boundary, 9,180 ft), at 37.3135, -119.1926
- Kaiser Pass Toilet Area Trailhead (inside the boundary, 8,903 ft), at 37.2914, -119.1213
- Mccreary Trailhead (inside the boundary, 8,800 ft), at 37.2944, -119.1636
- Deer Creek Trailhead (0.03 mi outside the boundary, 7,223 ft), at 37.2596, -119.1722 (mapped on OpenStreetMap)
- Rattlesnake Trailhead (0.05 mi outside the boundary, 8,078 ft), at 37.3245, -119.1400
- Potter Pass Trailhead (0.16 mi outside the boundary, 7,821 ft), at 37.2671, -119.1530
- Potter Cutoff Trailhead (0.24 mi outside the boundary, 7,931 ft), at 37.2684, -119.1502
- Billy Creek Trailhead (0.33 mi outside the boundary, 6,964 ft), at 37.2379, -119.2261
Trailhead locations: Forest Service recreation sites layer , accessed 2026-09-29. Elevations from USGS 3DEP.
Trailheads mapped on OpenStreetMap: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License , accessed 2026-09-29. The extract used here, with distances from the boundary: osm-trailheads-ca.json. Where an agency layer lists the same trailhead, the agency's point is shown instead.
Named summits, canyons, and springs in Kaiser Wilderness
- Kaiser Peak summit
- Black Point summit
- Kaiser Peak Meadows 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 Kaiser Wilderness
- National forestKaiser Wilderness lies inside Sierra National Forest.
- Wilderness areaJohn Muir Wilderness is 0.7 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
- Wilderness areaAnsel Adams Wilderness is 2 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
- Wilderness areaDinkey Lakes Wilderness is 2.4 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=286 (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n38w120/USGS_1_n38w120.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)
- https://apps.fs.usda.gov/arcx/rest/services/EDW/EDW_InfraRecreationSites_01/MapServer/0 (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright (accessed 2026-09-29)