Top wilderness areas
Wilderness AreaAnsel Adams Wilderness
Wilderness AreaDead Mountains
Wilderness AreaJohn Muir Wilderness
Wilderness AreaHoover Wilderness
Wilderness AreaEmigrant Wilderness
Wilderness AreaOtay Mountain Wilderness
Wilderness AreaBigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness
Wilderness AreaOwens Peak Wilderness
Wilderness AreaSiskiyou Wilderness
Wilderness AreaMarble Mountain Wilderness
Wilderness AreaBucks Lake Wilderness
Wilderness AreaCache Creek Wilderness
Wilderness Areas by county
- Fresno County3
- Imperial County3
- Inyo County3
- Kern County7
- Mono County3
- Riverside County3
- San Bernardino County8
- Siskiyou County4
All wilderness areas (63)
| Name | County | Elevation | Nearest town | Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ansel Adams WildernessDevils Postpile | Mono County | — | Mammoth Lakes | 2 |
| Dead Mountains | San Bernardino County | — | Mohave Valley | 3 |
| John Muir Wilderness | Fresno County | — | Yokuts Valley | 2 |
| Hoover Wilderness | Mono County | — | Yosemite Valley | 2 |
| Emigrant Wilderness | Tuolumne County | — | Twain Harte | 3 |
| Otay Mountain Wilderness | Riverside County | — | Anza | 5 |
| Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness | San Bernardino County | — | Needles | 2 |
| Owens Peak Wilderness | Kern County | — | Inyokern | 3 |
| Siskiyou Wilderness | Del Norte County | — | Happy Camp | 1 |
| Marble Mountain Wilderness | Siskiyou County | — | Happy Camp | 1 |
| Bucks Lake Wilderness | Plumas County | — | Quincy | 3 |
| Cache Creek Wilderness | Lake County | — | Lower Lake | 4 |
| Carson-Iceberg Wilderness | Alpine County | — | Topaz Ranch Estates | 3 |
| Castle Crags Wilderness | Shasta County | — | Dunsmuir | 2 |
| Clipper Mountain Wilderness | San Bernardino County | — | Twentynine Palms | 2 |
| Darwin Falls Wilderness | Inyo County | — | Lone Pine | 2 |
| Domeland Wilderness | Kern County | — | Kernville | 3 |
| Mount Shasta Wilderness | Siskiyou County | — | Mount Shasta | 2 |
| Ishi Wilderness | Tehama County | — | Forest Ranch | 3 |
| Caribou WildernessLassen Volcanic | Lassen County | — | Chester | 2 |
| Thousand Lakes Wilderness | Shasta County | — | Burney | 2 |
| Golden Trout Wilderness | Tulare County | — | Lone Pine | 2 |
| Granite Chief Wilderness | Placer County | — | Sunnyside-Tahoe City | 3 |
| Saddle Peak Hills Wilderness | San Bernardino County | — | Pahrump | 2 |
| Trinity Alps Wilderness | Siskiyou County | — | Weaverville | 2 |
| Ventana Wilderness | Monterey County | — | Big Sur | 3 |
| Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness | Trinity County | — | Covelo | 2 |
| Mokelumne Wilderness | Alpine County | — | South Lake Tahoe | 3 |
| Phillip Burton WildernessPoint Reyes | Marin County | — | Lagunitas-Forest Knolls | 5 |
| Russian Wilderness | Siskiyou County | — | Weed | 1 |
| San Gorgonio Wilderness | San Bernardino County | — | Big Bear Lake | 5 |
| San Rafael Wilderness | Santa Barbara County | — | Los Olivos | 3 |
| Santa Rosa Wilderness | Riverside County | — | Vista Santa Rosa | 4 |
| Sawtooth Mountains Wilderness | San Diego County | — | Pine Valley | 4 |
| Snow Mountain Wilderness | Colusa County | — | Upper Lake | 3 |
| South Fork Eel River Wilderness | Mendocino County | — | Laytonville | 2 |
| Bright Star Wilderness | Kern County | — | Weldon | 3 |
| Chumash Wilderness | Kern County | — | Pine Mountain Club | 4 |
| Fish Creek Mountains Wilderness | Imperial County | — | Seeley | 3 |
| King Range Wilderness | Humboldt County | — | Redway | 1 |
| Sespe Wilderness | Ventura County | — | Fillmore | 4 |
| South Warner Wilderness | Modoc County | — | Alturas | 1 |
| White Mountains Wilderness | Mono County | — | Dixon Lane-Meadow Creek | 2 |
| Little Picacho Wilderness | Imperial County | — | Yuma | 3 |
| Old Woman Mountains Wilderness | San Bernardino County | — | Lake Havasu City | 2 |
| Sacatar Trail Wilderness | Inyo County | — | Inyokern | 3 |
| San Gabriel Wilderness | Los Angeles County | — | Monrovia | 7 |
| Silver Peak Wilderness | Monterey County | — | Cambria | 3 |
| Agua Tibia Wilderness | Riverside County | — | Aguanga | 5 |
| Pine Creek Wilderness | San Diego County | — | Pine Valley | 4 |
| Desolation Wilderness | El Dorado County | — | South Lake Tahoe | 3 |
| Indian Pass Wilderness | Imperial County | — | Avenue B and C | 2 |
| South Sierra Wilderness | Inyo County | — | Lone Pine | 3 |
| El Paso Mountains Wilderness | Kern County | — | Inyokern | 3 |
| Chimney Peak Wilderness | Kern County | — | Weldon | 3 |
| Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness | San Bernardino County | — | Twentynine Palms | 3 |
| Cucamonga Wilderness | San Bernardino County | — | San Antonio Heights | 6 |
| Dick Smith Wilderness | Santa Barbara County | — | Toro Canyon | 4 |
| Dinkey Lakes Wilderness | Fresno County | — | Auberry | 3 |
| Garcia Wilderness | San Luis Obispo County | — | Nipomo | 3 |
| Jennie Lakes WildernessSequoia & Kings Canyon | Tulare County | — | Three Rivers | 3 |
| Kaiser Wilderness | Fresno County | — | Mammoth Lakes | 3 |
| Kiavah Wilderness | Kern County | — | Weldon | 3 |
Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).
Map
How to photograph wilderness areas
Wilderness areas reward those who camp: being on location at sunrise and in the dark is the main advantage over day visitors.
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
- Practice Leave No Trace — camp on durable surfaces away from lakes and streams.
- Pack weight matters: a single zoom and a light tripod cover most situations.
- Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
Season: Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.