Beauty Mountain Wilderness
The Beauty Mountain Wilderness is a chaparral dominated ecosystem. The steep hillsides are overlain with granite boulder outcrops. At 5,548 feet, Beauty Mountain is the central feature to the Wilderness. Within the Wilderness, Million Dollar Spring is considered to be one of the most pristine watersheds in all of southwestern California. Surrounded by development, this Wilderness preserves one of the largest blocks of undeveloped land in the area. It is both a wildlife corridor and habitat for several endangered species–the California gnat catcher and the Quino checkerspot butterfly. There are several trailheads accessing a small network of trails within the Wilderness.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| State | California |
| Size | 15,628 acres |
| Designated | 2009, by Congress |
| Center point | 33.44° N, 116.72° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 22) |
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 7 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.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedGreater El Cariso Rx
38 mi from the center point
- PrescribedOak Woodlands Wcsl Rx
44 mi from the center point
- WildfireGreen
48 mi from the center point · 55 acres
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
- 2.9 miOak Grove Butterfield Stage Station ↗National Historic Landmark
- 14.6 miWolf Store and Vail Ranch Headquarters ↗Temecula, CA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for California
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Beauty Mountain Wilderness?
15,628 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Beauty Mountain Wilderness?
The Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Beauty Mountain Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Beauty Mountain Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2009.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Beauty Mountain 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 Beauty Mountain Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 33.445° N, 116.721° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Beauty Mountain Wilderness right now?
3 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Greater El Cariso Rx at 38 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Beauty Mountain Wilderness?
The National Register has 2 listings within 15 miles, including Oak Grove Butterfield Stage Station and Wolf Store and Vail Ranch Headquarters.
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.