Thousand Lakes Wilderness
Thousand Lakes Wilderness is a 16,526-acre wilderness area in Shasta County, California. It rises from about 5,515 to 8,659 ft. The nearest town is Hat Creek, 4.7 miles away in a straight line.
Thousand Lakes Wilderness map
Thousand Lakes 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 Thousand Lakes Wilderness is limited to 14 days.
- The maximum group size at Thousand Lakes Wilderness is 25.
- Hat Creek, CA is the nearest town, 4.7 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance).
- The highest ground in Thousand Lakes Wilderness is about 8,659 ft, and its lowest about 5,515 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model). Its highest named summit is Crater Peak, about 8,659 ft.
Who manages Thousand Lakes Wilderness
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Service | 16,526 | Not on record | 25 | 14 days | Hat Creek Ranger District, 530-336-5521 |
Getting to Thousand Lakes Wilderness
- Hat Creek, CA is the nearest town, 4.7 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-29)
Trailheads at Thousand Lakes Wilderness
- Bunchgrass Trailhead (0.17 mi outside the boundary, 5,915 ft), at 40.6651, -121.5792
- Tamarack Trailhead (0.19 mi outside the boundary, 5,876 ft), at 40.7101, -121.5328
- Magee (0.37 mi outside the boundary, 6,096 ft), at 40.6743, -121.6514
- Cypress Trailhead (0.69 mi outside the boundary, 5,532 ft), at 40.7383, -121.6081
Trailhead locations: Forest Service recreation sites layer , accessed 2026-09-29. Elevations from USGS 3DEP.
Named summits, canyons, and springs in Thousand Lakes Wilderness
- Crater Peak summit
- Magee Peak summit
- Fredonyer Peak summit
- Cornez Spring spring
- Barrett 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 Thousand Lakes Wilderness
- National forestThousand Lakes Wilderness lies inside Lassen 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=599 (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n41w122/USGS_1_n41w122.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)