Ashdown Gorge Wilderness
Sharing the western and northern borders of the desert-like Cedar Breaks National Monument, Ashdown Gorge Wilderness displays eroded, multicolored Wasatch limestone, meadows, and forestland including a significant stand of bristlecone pine, known as the Twisted Forest, in the northern corner. Bristlecones are among the oldest living life-forms. The area is home to a diversity of wildlife that includes mule deer, yellow-bellied marmots, chipmunks, golden-mantled ground squirrels, voles, and mice. Creeks run year-round. Elevations range from 8,000 feet to 10,400 feet, and winter snows often add spectacular highlights to the colorful stone formations. Within the Wilderness, you'll find less than 10 miles of trails.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Utah |
| Size | 7,085 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 37.64° N, 112.88° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 18) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 9 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
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Trails
7 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 24 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Blowhard Trail ↗ | 6.9 | |
| Rattlesnake Trail ↗ | 5.2 | |
| Potato Hollow Trail ↗ | 5 | |
| High Mountain Trail | 3.8 | |
| Long Hollow Trail | 1.6 | |
| Crystal Springs Trail | 1.3 | |
| Twisted Forest Trail | 0.5 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedMarkagaunt Piles Rx
9 mi from the center point
- PrescribedMiners Peak Rx
10 mi from the center point
- PrescribedHenrie Knolls North Piles Rx
12 mi from the center point
- PrescribedNorth Fork Rx
12 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
- 1.4 miCaretaker's Cabin ↗Cedar City, UT
- 1.5 miVisitor Center ↗Cedar City, UT
- 8.4 miUs Post Office--Cedar City Main ↗Cedar City, UT
- 8.5 miCedar City Railroad Depot ↗Cedar City, UT
- 8.6 miWood, George H., House ↗Cedar City, UT
- 8.7 miOld Main and Science Buildings ↗Cedar City, UT
- 10.9 miLyman, William and Julia, House ↗Parowan, UT
- 10.9 miSmith, Jesse N., House ↗Parowan, UT
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Utah
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Ashdown Gorge Wilderness?
7,085 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Ashdown Gorge Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Ashdown Gorge Wilderness in?
Utah.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Ashdown Gorge Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Ashdown Gorge Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Ashdown Gorge Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 37.641° N, 112.883° W. Cedar Breaks National Monument is 1 mile away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Ashdown Gorge Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Markagaunt Piles Rx at 9 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Ashdown Gorge Wilderness?
Cedar Breaks National Monument (1 mi) and Zion National Park (22 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Ashdown Gorge Wilderness?
The National Register has 11 listings within 15 miles, including Caretaker's Cabin and Visitor Center.
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.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- 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.