Sespe Wilderness
Sespe Wilderness is a 219,209-acre wilderness area in Ventura County, California. It rises from about 895 to 7,503 ft. The nearest town is Fillmore, 3.9 miles away in a straight line.
Sespe Wilderness map
Sespe 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
- Fillmore, CA is the nearest town, 3.9 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance).
- The highest ground in Sespe Wilderness is about 7,503 ft, and its lowest about 895 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model). Its highest named summit is Reyes Peak, about 7,487 ft.
Who manages Sespe Wilderness
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Service | 219,209 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record | Ojai Ranger District, 805-646-4348 |
Getting to Sespe Wilderness
- Fillmore, CA is the nearest town, 3.9 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-29)
Trailheads at Sespe Wilderness
- Buck Creek Upper Trailhead (0.02 mi outside the boundary, 6,516 ft), at 34.6384, -118.9199
- Reyes Creek Trailhead (0.05 mi outside the boundary, 3,965 ft), at 34.6779, -119.3091
- Dough Flat Trailhead (0.06 mi outside the boundary, 2,838 ft), at 34.5223, -118.8955
- Buck Creek Lower Trailhead (0.09 mi outside the boundary, 2,854 ft), at 34.6870, -118.8469
- Chorro Grande - Upper Trailhead (0.09 mi outside the boundary, 7,151 ft), at 34.6359, -119.3092
- Reyes Peak Trailhead (0.09 mi outside the boundary, 6,963 ft), at 34.6349, -119.2931
- Potrero John Trailhead (0.24 mi outside the boundary, 3,686 ft), at 34.5849, -119.2690
- Piedra Blanca Trailhead (0.27 mi outside the boundary, 3,064 ft), at 34.5606, -119.1670
Trailhead locations: Forest Service recreation sites layer , accessed 2026-09-29. Elevations from USGS 3DEP.
Named summits, canyons, and springs in Sespe Wilderness
- Reyes Peak summit
- Thorn Point summit
- McDonald Peak summit
- Bear Canyon canyon
- Hot Springs Canyon canyon
- Sespe Hot Springs spring
- Beartrap 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
Reyes Creek fishing (right at the boundary): its fishing and stocking record on fishypedia.com.
Public lands next to Sespe Wilderness
- National forestSespe Wilderness lies inside Los Padres National Forest.
- National forestSespe Wilderness borders Angeles National Forest.
- National wildlife refugeSespe Wilderness borders Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge.
- State parkHungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area, a state park, is 1.1 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
- Wilderness areaChumash Wilderness is 1.3 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
- Wilderness areaDick Smith Wilderness is 3 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=544 (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n35w120/USGS_1_n35w120.tif (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/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)