Caribou Wilderness
Reminders of the volcanic and glacial origin of the Caribou Wilderness can be seen throughout this forested plateau. The forest is composed predominantly of lodgepole pine sprinkled with a mixture of Jeffrey pine, white and red fir, western white pine, and hemlock. Crater peaks, cinder cones, and numerous depressions have filled with water to become splendid timber-fringed lakes. The larger lakes support brook and rainbow trout, and black-tailed deer and black bears grace the Wilderness alongside squirrels, chipmunks, and the protected pine marten. You may see bald eagles and ospreys overhead, and mergansers and grebes on the ponds and lakes.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 20,839 acres |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 40.49° N, 121.21° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 12) |
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 12 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.
Trails
11 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 32 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Cone-Hay Mdws Caribou ↗ | 10.3 | |
| Trail Lake ↗ | 4.6 | |
| Caribou-N. Divide Caribou | 3.3 | |
| Jewel Lake | 2.7 | |
| Posey-Beauty Caribou | 2.3 | |
| Emerald-Cypress Caribou | 2.1 | |
| Hidden Lakes Caribou | 2 | |
| Triangle-Lvnp Caribou | 1.8 | |
| West Triangle Lake Caribou | 1.3 | |
| Indian Meadow | 1.1 |
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
- PrescribedEcho Lake Pile 10/29/2026 Rx
5 mi from the center point
- PrescribedAlmanor South Cg 10/31/26 Rx
19 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
- 3.9 miProspect Peak Fire Lookout ↗Mineral, CA
- 4.2 miHorseshoe Lake Ranger Station ↗Chester, CA
- 4.8 miTwin Lakes Fire Tool Cache ↗Mineral, CA
- 7 miWarner Valley Ranger Station ↗Chester, CA
- 8.6 miSummit Lake Ranger Station ↗Mineral, CA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for California
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 Caribou Wilderness?
20,839 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Caribou Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Caribou Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Caribou Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Caribou 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 Caribou Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 40.489° N, 121.215° W. Lassen Volcanic National Park is 8 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Caribou Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Echo Lake Pile 10/29/2026 Rx at 5 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Caribou Wilderness?
Lassen Volcanic National Park (8 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Caribou Wilderness?
The National Register has 5 listings within 15 miles, including Prospect Peak Fire Lookout and Horseshoe Lake 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.
- 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.