USFS · Wilderness area · Arizona

Apache Creek Wilderness

Remote, and relatively rugged, Apache Creek Wilderness offers rolling hills of juniper and pinion pine interspersed with outcroppings of granite boulders and ponderosa pine. Time. wind, and water have...

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Apache Creek Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateArizona
Size5,633 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1984, by Congress
Center point34.8782, -112.9053
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 20)

Boundary map

1 outline

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees

The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from trails and water, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit and group-size rules.

Fire nearby

Within 50 miles · as of 2026-09-17
  • Prescribed
    Cy26 Knf Rx Support

    48 mi from the center point

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 3 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Apache Creek Wilderness?

5,633 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Apache Creek Wilderness?

The U.S. Forest Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Apache Creek Wilderness in?

Arizona.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Apache Creek Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1984.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Apache Creek Wilderness?

No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How do I get to Apache Creek Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 34.878, -112.905. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Is there a fire near Apache Creek Wilderness right now?

1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Cy26 Knf Rx Support at 48 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.

Source: Fire nearby

How dark is the night sky at Apache Creek Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 20 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Are there historic places near Apache Creek Wilderness?

3 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Hyde Mountain Lookout House and Walnut Creek Ranger Station.

Source: Register Atlas

Sources

  • Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
  • Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
  • Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
  • Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
  • Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.