Wilderness area

Lava Beds Wilderness

Lava Beds Wilderness is a 28,460-acre wilderness area in Siskiyou County, California. It rises from about 4,054 to 5,696 ft. The nearest town is Newell, 7 miles away in a straight line.

Lava Beds Wilderness map

Lava Beds Wilderness boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.

View larger map Open in Google Maps Directions

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

The maximum group size at Lava Beds Wilderness is 12.
Newell, CA is the nearest town, 7 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance).
The highest ground in Lava Beds Wilderness is about 5,696 ft, and its lowest about 4,054 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model). Its highest named summit is Island Butte, about 5,533 ft.

Who manages Lava Beds Wilderness

Agency Acres Permit Group size Stay limit Office
National Park Service 28,460 Not on record 12 Not on record Lava Beds National Monument, 530-667-8100

Getting to Lava Beds Wilderness

  • Newell, CA is the nearest town, 7 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 Lava Beds Wilderness

  • Island Butte summit about 5,533 ft
  • Hippo Butte summit about 5,480 ft
  • Eagle Nest Butte summit about 5,475 ft

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 Lava Beds Wilderness

Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.

Other wilderness areas in California

California wilderness areas