San Gabriel Wilderness
San Gabriel Wilderness is a 35,738-acre wilderness area in Los Angeles County, California. It rises from about 1,811 to 8,001 ft. The nearest town is Monrovia, 5.3 miles away in a straight line.
San Gabriel Wilderness map
San Gabriel 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
- Camping in San Gabriel Wilderness is limited to 21 days.
- The maximum group size at San Gabriel Wilderness is 25.
- Campfires are prohibited.
- Monrovia, CA is the nearest town, 5.3 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance).
- The highest ground in San Gabriel Wilderness is about 8,001 ft, and its lowest about 1,811 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model). Its highest named summit is Twin Peaks, about 7,758 ft.
Who manages San Gabriel Wilderness
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Service | 35,738 | Not on record | 25 | 21 days | San Gabriel Mountains National Monument Office, 626-335-1251 |
Getting to San Gabriel Wilderness
- Monrovia, CA is the nearest town, 5.3 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-29)
Trailheads at San Gabriel Wilderness
- Devil's Canyon Trailhead (inside the boundary, 5,032 ft), at 34.3175, -118.0031
- Bear Creek Trailhead (0.14 mi outside the boundary, 1,635 ft), at 34.2399, -117.8844 (mapped on OpenStreetMap)
- Mount Islip Trailhead (0.17 mi outside the boundary, 6,671 ft), at 34.3570, -117.8505 (mapped on OpenStreetMap)
- Three Points Trailhead (0.32 mi outside the boundary, 5,900 ft), at 34.3433, -117.9825
- Burkhart Trailhead (0.45 mi outside the boundary, 6,386 ft), at 34.3475, -117.9111
- Shortcut Saddle Trailhead (0.54 mi outside the boundary, 4,782 ft), at 34.2734, -118.0333
- 6000' Trailhead (0.6 mi outside the boundary, 6,302 ft), at 34.3511, -117.9617
- Islip Wawona Trailhead (0.72 mi outside the boundary, 5,534 ft), at 34.3189, -117.8444
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 San Gabriel Wilderness
- Twin Peaks summit
- Mount Sally summit
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 San Gabriel Wilderness
- National forestSan Gabriel Wilderness lies inside Angeles National Forest.
- Wilderness areaPleasant View Ridge Wilderness is 0.1 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
- Wilderness areaSheep Mountain Wilderness is 2.2 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=520 (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n35w119/USGS_1_n35w119.tif (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n35w118/USGS_1_n35w118.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)