San Rafael Reef Wilderness
San Rafael Reef Wilderness is a 60,442-acre wilderness area in Emery County, Utah. It rises from about 4,301 to 6,880 ft. The nearest town is Green River, 14.3 miles away in a straight line.
San Rafael Reef Wilderness map
San Rafael Reef Wilderness boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.
Fire restrictions
3 fire restriction orders are recorded for this unit as of Sept. 30, 2026. Each links the signed order.
- Bureau of Land Management (BLM) - West Desert District (Stage 1) Effective Sept. 5, 2026. Applies to land covered by this Utah Fire Info order. Stage 1. Listed as Active on Utah Fire Info. The signed order states the exact area, what it prohibits, and exemptions.
- Bureau of Land Management (BLM) - Cottonwood Fire Closure Effective June 26, 2026. Applies to all BLM land in Utah. Listed as Active on Utah Fire Info. The signed order states the exact area, what it prohibits, and exemptions.
- Bureau of Land Management (BLM) - Statewide (Prevention Order) Effective June 17, 2025. Applies to all BLM land in Utah. 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
- Green River, UT is the nearest town, 14.3 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance).
- The highest ground in San Rafael Reef Wilderness is about 6,880 ft, and its lowest about 4,301 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model).
Who manages San Rafael Reef Wilderness
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLM | 60,442 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record |
Getting to San Rafael Reef Wilderness
- Green River, UT is the nearest town, 14.3 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-29)
- Access roads named on the area's wilderness.net page: Interstate 70.
Position, roads and vehicle notes: wilderness.net page for San Rafael Reef Wilderness, accessed 2026-09-29. Roads and conditions change; check with the managing office before driving in.
Trailheads at San Rafael Reef Wilderness
- Three Finger Canyon Trailhead (inside the boundary, 4,509 ft), at 38.8575, -110.4648
- Uneva Mine Canyon Trailhead (inside the boundary, 4,586 ft), at 38.8833, -110.4554
- Farnsworth Canyon Trailead (0.2 mi outside the boundary, 5,167 ft), at 38.6664, -110.6151 (mapped on OpenStreetMap)
- Zero G Trailhead (0.44 mi outside the boundary, 4,448 ft), at 38.7753, -110.4834 (mapped on OpenStreetMap)
- South Temple Wash (0.96 mi outside the boundary, 5,315 ft), at 38.6569, -110.6610
Trailhead locations: BLM 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 San Rafael Reef Wilderness
- Eardley Canyon canyon
- Ernie Canyon canyon
- Charley Holes spring
- Greasewood Tank lake
Features whose official location is inside the boundary, from the USGS Geographic Names Information System, accessed 2026-09-29.
Public lands next to San Rafael Reef Wilderness
- Wilderness areaMuddy Creek Wilderness is 0.8 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
- Wilderness areaMexican Mountain Wilderness is 1.2 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 Utah
- https://wilderness.net/visit-wilderness/?ID=801 (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n39w111/USGS_1_n39w111.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://gis.blm.gov/arcgis/rest/services/recreation/BLM_Natl_Recs_pts/MapServer/14 (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright (accessed 2026-09-29)