BLM · Wilderness area · California

Big Maria Mountains Wilderness

Gently sloping bajadas, or desert slopes, rise to numerous rough and craggy peaks separated by steep canyons in Big Maria Mountains Wilderness. The Big Marias lie just south of a major drainage called...

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

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Big Maria Mountains Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byBureau of Land Management
StateCalifornia
Size45,384 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1994, by Congress
Center point33.8320, -114.6158
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 29)

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.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 1 in all · Register Atlas

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

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Big Maria Mountains Wilderness?

45,384 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Big Maria Mountains Wilderness?

The Bureau of Land Management.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Big Maria Mountains Wilderness in?

California.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Big Maria Mountains Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1994.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Big Maria Mountains 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 Big Maria Mountains Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 33.832, -114.616. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How dark is the night sky at Big Maria Mountains Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 29 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 Big Maria Mountains Wilderness?

1 National Register listing within 15 miles, including Classroom Building, Poston Elementary School, Unit 1.

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.