Santa Rosa Wilderness
Santa Rosa Wilderness is a 78,576-acre wilderness area in Riverside County, California. It rises from about -60 to 8,010 ft. The nearest town is La Quinta, 1.1 miles away in a straight line.
Santa Rosa Wilderness map
Santa Rosa 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
- Campfires are prohibited.
- La Quinta, CA is the nearest town, 1.1 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance).
- The highest ground in Santa Rosa Wilderness is about 8,010 ft, and its lowest about -60 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model). Its highest named summit is Rabbit Peak, about 6,647 ft.
Who manages Santa Rosa Wilderness
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLM | 58,878 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record | Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, 760-833-7100 |
| Forest Service | 19,698 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record | San Jacinto Ranger District, 909-382-2921 |
Getting to Santa Rosa Wilderness
- La Quinta, 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 Santa Rosa Wilderness
- Sawmill Trailhead (0.72 mi outside the boundary, 4,042 ft), at 33.5792, -116.4497
Trailhead locations: Forest Service recreation sites layer , accessed 2026-09-29. Elevations from USGS 3DEP.
Named summits, canyons, and springs in Santa Rosa Wilderness
- Rabbit Peak summit
- Martinez Mountain summit
- Sheep Mountain summit
- Agua Alta Canyon canyon
- Alder Canyon canyon
- Agua Alta Spring spring
- Cactus Spring spring
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
Cahuilla Park Lake fishing (0.5 miles outside the boundary): its fishing and stocking record on fishypedia.com.
Public lands next to Santa Rosa Wilderness
- BLM unit Most of Santa Rosa Wilderness lies inside Santa Rosa-San Jacinto Mountains National Monument.
- State parkSanta Rosa Wilderness borders Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
- National forestSanta Rosa Wilderness borders San Bernardino 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=531 (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/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)