Cold Wash Wilderness
The Cold Wash Wilderness is part of the San Rafael Swell, which features magnificent badlands of brightly colored and wildly eroded sandstone formations, deep canyons, and giant plates of stone tilted upright through massive geologic upheaval. This landscape reveals a geological history laid bare through millennia of upheaval and erosion. The geologic history of the San Rafael Swell area began 40 to 60 million years ago when a massive uplift formed a geologic antic line. This bulge in the earth’s crust eventually eroded to leave high mesas, deep canyons, domes, spectacular arches, and spires. The terrain varies from the sheer cliffs and dazzling canyons to more gently carved badlands broken by shallow washes.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| State | Utah |
| Size | 11,001 acres |
| Designated | 2019, by Congress |
| Center point | 38.91° N, 110.84° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 30) |
Boundary map
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.
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
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.
Fire nearby
- Prescribed12 Mile Rx
44 mi from the center point · 350 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
- 13.2 miSan Rafael Bridge ↗Castle Dale, UT
- 14.8 miSingleton, Samuel, House ↗Ferron, UT
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Utah
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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 Cold Wash Wilderness?
11,001 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Cold Wash Wilderness?
The Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Cold Wash Wilderness in?
Utah.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Cold Wash Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2019.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to Cold Wash Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 38.915° N, 110.843° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Cold Wash Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest 12 Mile Rx at 44 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Cold Wash Wilderness?
The National Register has 2 listings within 15 miles, including San Rafael Bridge and Singleton, Samuel, House.
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.