San Gorgonio Wilderness
San Gorgonio Wilderness is a 101,574-acre wilderness area in San Bernardino County, California. It rises from about 2,180 to 11,491 ft. The nearest town is Morongo Valley, 1.1 miles away in a straight line.
San Gorgonio Wilderness map
San Gorgonio 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
- Morongo Valley, CA is the nearest town, 1.1 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance).
- The highest ground in San Gorgonio Wilderness is about 11,491 ft, and its lowest about 2,180 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model). Its highest named summit is San Gorgonio Mountain, about 11,491 ft.
Who manages San Gorgonio Wilderness
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Service | 62,341 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record | Mill Creek Visitor Center, 909-382-2882 |
| BLM | 39,233 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record | Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, 760-833-7100 |
Getting to San Gorgonio Wilderness
- Morongo Valley, CA is the nearest town, 1.1 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-29)
Trailheads at San Gorgonio Wilderness
- Forest Falls (0.07 mi outside the boundary, 6,294 ft), at 34.0796, -116.8831
- Vivian Trailhead (0.26 mi outside the boundary, 6,095 ft), at 34.0819, -116.8897
- Big Falls Trailhead (0.34 mi outside the boundary, 6,010 ft), at 34.0817, -116.8931
- Whitewater Preserve (0.38 mi outside the boundary, 2,211 ft), at 33.9894, -116.6571
- Angelus Oaks (0.54 mi outside the boundary, 5,932 ft), at 34.1463, -116.9779
- Highway 38 (0.6 mi outside the boundary, 6,907 ft), at 34.1603, -116.8711
- South Fork Trailhead (0.67 mi outside the boundary, 6,873 ft), at 34.1615, -116.8722
- Momyer Trailhead (0.87 mi outside the boundary, 5,509 ft), at 34.0869, -116.9139
Trailhead locations: BLM recreation sites layer , Forest Service recreation sites layer , accessed 2026-09-29. Elevations from USGS 3DEP.
Named summits, canyons, and springs in San Gorgonio Wilderness
- San Gorgonio Mountain summit
- Jepson Peak summit
- Anderson Peak summit
- Boundary Canyon canyon
- Grape Canyon canyon
- Bear Wallow Spring spring
- Columbine Spring spring
- Dollar 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.
Fishing and water
- Santa Ana River South Fork fishing (0.6 miles outside the boundary): its fishing and stocking record on fishypedia.com.
- Jenks Lake fishing (0.6 miles outside the boundary): its fishing and stocking record on fishypedia.com.
Public lands next to San Gorgonio Wilderness
- National forest Most of San Gorgonio Wilderness lies inside San Bernardino National Forest.
- BLM unit Most of Sand To Snow National Monument lies inside San Gorgonio Wilderness.
- BLM unitSanta Rosa-San Jacinto Mountains National Monument is 2.6 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=521 (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n34w117/USGS_1_n34w117.tif (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n35w117/USGS_1_n35w117.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://gis.blm.gov/arcgis/rest/services/recreation/BLM_Natl_Recs_pts/MapServer/14 (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://apps.fs.usda.gov/arcx/rest/services/EDW/EDW_InfraRecreationSites_01/MapServer/0 (accessed 2026-09-29)