Red Buttes Wilderness
Red Buttes Wilderness is a 20,130-acre wilderness area in Siskiyou County, California. It rises from about 2,783 to 6,696 ft. The nearest town is Happy Camp, 10.1 miles away in a straight line.
Red Buttes Wilderness map
Red Buttes 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
- The maximum group size at Red Buttes Wilderness is 8.
- Campfires are prohibited in some areas: Prohibited within 100 feet of listed features.
- Happy Camp, CA is the nearest town, 10.1 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance).
- The highest ground in Red Buttes Wilderness is about 6,696 ft, and its lowest about 2,783 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model). Its highest named summit is Kangaroo Mountain, about 6,670 ft.
Who manages Red Buttes Wilderness
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Service | 20,130 | Not on record | 8 | Not on record | High Cascades Ranger District, 541-560-3400 |
Getting to Red Buttes Wilderness
- Happy Camp, CA is the nearest town, 10.1 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-29)
Trailheads at Red Buttes Wilderness
- Steve's Fork Trailhead (inside the boundary, 4,285 ft), at 42.0000, -123.3310
- Cameron Meadows Trailhead (0.03 mi outside the boundary, 3,350 ft), at 41.9800, -123.2290
- Shoofly Trailhead (0.03 mi outside the boundary, 3,358 ft), at 41.9660, -123.2050
- Middle Fork Applegate - Upper (0.06 mi outside the boundary, 4,236 ft), at 41.9910, -123.2860
- Middle Fork Natl Rec Trail- Frog Pond TH (0.06 mi outside the boundary, 3,560 ft), at 41.9952, -123.2517
- Boundary Trailhead (0.37 mi outside the boundary, 5,705 ft), at 42.0050, -123.4100
- Middle Fork Applegate - Lower (0.44 mi outside the boundary, 2,740 ft), at 41.9740, -123.2070
- Fir Glade Trailhead (0.9 mi outside the boundary, 5,151 ft), at 42.0062, -123.2878
Trailhead locations: Forest Service recreation sites layer , accessed 2026-09-29. Elevations from USGS 3DEP.
Named summits, canyons, and springs in Red Buttes Wilderness
- Kangaroo Mountain summit
- Pyramid Peak summit
- Figurehead Mountain summit
- Hello Canyon canyon
- Azalea Lake 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 Red Buttes Wilderness
- National forestRed Buttes Wilderness lies inside Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests.
- National forestRed Buttes Wilderness borders Klamath National Forest.
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=487 (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n42w124/USGS_1_n42w124.tif (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n43w124/USGS_1_n43w124.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)