USFWS · Alaska

Bogoslof Wilderness

Russians believed that they heard the "voice of God" (bogoslof) as a fiery eruption lifted Bogoslof Island from the cold Bering Sea around 1796. Bogoslof and little Fire Island were first designated as Wilderness and later added as a subunit of the Aleutian Islands Unit of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. An active volcanic island, Bogoslof has undergone change as recently as 1993. A single rugged spire, Castle Rock, stands above the island's rocky beaches and black lava and rises over 100 feet above sea level. Vegetation on this domed and treeless isle is typical of the Aleutians: grasses, sedges, heath. As many as 90,000 murres, kittiwakes, puffins, and gulls nest here.

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Bogoslof Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
StateAlaska
Size175 acres
Designated1970, by Congress
Center point53.93° N, 168.04° W
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 6)

Boundary map

2 outlines

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.

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Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Bogoslof Wilderness?

175 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Bogoslof Wilderness?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Bogoslof Wilderness in?

Alaska.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Bogoslof Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1970.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How do I get to Bogoslof Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 53.931° N, 168.037° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

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.