Turtle Mountains Wilderness
Turtle Mountains Wilderness is a 177,309-acre wilderness area in San Bernardino County, California. It rises from about 894 to 4,283 ft. The nearest town is Big River, 18.6 miles away in a straight line.
Turtle Mountains Wilderness map
Turtle Mountains 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 Turtle Mountains Wilderness is limited to 14 days.
- Big River, CA is the nearest town, 18.6 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). The wilderness.net page for this area places it about 30 miles southeast of Needles.
- The highest ground in Turtle Mountains Wilderness is about 4,283 ft, and its lowest about 894 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model). Its highest named summit is Horn Peak, about 3,842 ft.
Who manages Turtle Mountains Wilderness
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLM | 177,309 | Not on record | Not on record | 14 days | Needles Field Office, 760-326-7000 |
Getting to Turtle Mountains Wilderness
- Big River, CA is the nearest town, 18.6 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-29)
- The wilderness.net page for this area places it about 30 miles southeast of Needles.
Position, roads and vehicle notes: wilderness.net page for Turtle Mountains Wilderness, accessed 2026-09-29. Roads and conditions change; check with the managing office before driving in.
Trailheads at Turtle Mountains Wilderness
- Coffin Spring (inside the boundary, 1,939 ft), at 34.4245, -114.8156
- Mopah Spring (inside the boundary, 1,601 ft), at 34.3351, -114.7221
- Mexican Hat (0.07 mi outside the boundary, 1,823 ft), at 34.4368, -114.8354
Trailhead locations: BLM recreation sites layer , accessed 2026-09-29. Elevations from USGS 3DEP.
Named summits, canyons, and springs in Turtle Mountains Wilderness
- Horn Peak summit
- Mopah Peaks summit
- Castle Rock summit
- Coffin Spring spring
- Horn 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.
Public lands next to Turtle Mountains Wilderness
- BLM unitTurtle Mountains Wilderness borders Mojave Trails National Monument.
- Wilderness areaTurtle Mountains Wilderness borders Stepladder Mountains Wilderness.
- Wilderness areaOld Woman Mountains Wilderness is 1.4 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=613 (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n35w116/USGS_1_n35w116.tif (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n35w115/USGS_1_n35w115.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)