Ashdown Gorge Wilderness
Ashdown Gorge Wilderness is a 7,085-acre wilderness area in Iron County, Utah. It rises from about 7,396 to 10,480 ft. The nearest town is Brian Head, 2.5 miles away in a straight line.
Ashdown Gorge Wilderness map
Ashdown Gorge Wilderness boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.
Fire restrictions
5 fire restriction orders are recorded for this unit as of Sept. 30, 2026. Each links the signed order.
- Forest Service (USFS) - Manti-La Sal NF, Ferron RD (Black Canyon Rd) (Closure) Effective Sept. 11, 2026. Applies to the part of this wilderness managed by Cedar City Ranger District. Listed as Active on Utah Fire Info. The signed order states the exact area, what it prohibits, and exemptions.
- Forest Service (USFS) - Babylon Fire Closure - Manti-La Sal NF (Monticello RD) Effective July 17, 2026. Applies to the part of this wilderness managed by Cedar City Ranger District. Listed as Active on Utah Fire Info. The signed order states the exact area, what it prohibits, and exemptions.
- Forest Service (USFS) - Cottonwood Fire Closure Effective July 4, 2026. Applies to the part of this wilderness managed by Cedar City Ranger District. Listed as Active on Utah Fire Info. The signed order states the exact area, what it prohibits, and exemptions.
- Forest Service (USFS) - Wild Goose Fire Closure Effective June 27, 2026. Applies to the part of this wilderness managed by Cedar City Ranger District. Listed as Active on Utah Fire Info. The signed order states the exact area, what it prohibits, and exemptions.
- Forest Service (USFS) - Uinta-Wasatch-Cache NF (Ogden RD: Weber Co Wasatch Foothills) (Special Order) Effective June 1, 2026. Applies to the part of this wilderness managed by Cedar City Ranger District. Listed as Active on Utah Fire Info. The signed order states the exact area, what it prohibits, and exemptions.
Utah Fire Info, Utah DNR's interagency fire information hub, keeps the Utah fire restrictions map and signed orders for every fire zone, and a Utah fire map of active fires.
Common questions
- The maximum group size at Ashdown Gorge Wilderness is 25.
- Brian Head, UT is the nearest town, 2.5 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance).
- The highest ground in Ashdown Gorge Wilderness is about 10,480 ft, and its lowest about 7,396 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model).
Who manages Ashdown Gorge Wilderness
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Service | 7,085 | Not on record | 25 | Not on record | Cedar City Ranger District, 435-865-3200 |
Getting to Ashdown Gorge Wilderness
- Brian Head, UT is the nearest town, 2.5 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-29)
Trailheads at Ashdown Gorge Wilderness
- Twisted Forest (0.07 mi outside the boundary, 9,752 ft), at 37.6847, -112.8865 (mapped on OpenStreetMap)
- Rattlesnake Trailhead (0.18 mi outside the boundary, 10,465 ft), at 37.6626, -112.8380
- High Mountain Trailhead (0.31 mi outside the boundary, 9,504 ft), at 37.6787, -112.8998
- Crystal Springs Trailhead (0.37 mi outside the boundary, 8,976 ft), at 37.6038, -112.8970
- Blowhard Trailhead (0.61 mi outside the boundary, 10,620 ft), at 37.5935, -112.8605
- Blowhard/Moots Hollow Trailhead (0.61 mi outside the boundary, 10,620 ft), at 37.5935, -112.8605
Trailhead locations: Forest Service recreation sites layer , accessed 2026-09-29. Elevations from USGS 3DEP.
Trailheads mapped on OpenStreetMap: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License , accessed 2026-09-29. The extract used here, with distances from the boundary: osm-trailheads-ut.json. Where an agency layer lists the same trailhead, the agency's point is shown instead.
Named summits, canyons, and springs in Ashdown Gorge Wilderness
- Tri Story Canyon canyon
Features whose official location is inside the boundary, from the USGS Geographic Names Information System, accessed 2026-09-29.
Public lands next to Ashdown Gorge Wilderness
- National forestAshdown Gorge Wilderness lies inside Dixie National Forest.
- National Park Service unitAshdown Gorge Wilderness borders Cedar Breaks National Monument.
Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.
Other wilderness areas in Utah
- https://wilderness.net/visit-wilderness/?ID=20 (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n38w113/USGS_1_n38w113.tif (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/GeographicNames/DomesticNames/DomesticNames_UT_Text.zip (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2025_Gazetteer/2025_gaz_place_49.txt (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://apps.fs.usda.gov/arcx/rest/services/EDW/EDW_InfraRecreationSites_01/MapServer/0 (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright (accessed 2026-09-29)