Crab Orchard Wilderness
Smack dab in the middle of the Mississippi Flyway, Crab Orchard Wilderness provides a winter feeding and resting area for an average of 40,000 Canada geese each year. Agriculture and logging in the early...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| State | Illinois |
| Size | 4,050 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1976, by Congress |
| Center point | 37.6057, -89.1064 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 11) |
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.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 1 is within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedDk West De Rx
1 mi from the center point · 157 acres
- PrescribedA-13 Piles Rx
5 mi from the center point · 10 acres
- PrescribedArea 13 Pile Rx
5 mi from the center point · 30 acres
- PrescribedRed Shale Bn Rx
5 mi from the center point · 469 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
- 1.3 miGiant City State Park Lodge and Cabins ↗Makanda, IL
- 2.5 miGiant City Stone Fort Site ↗Makanda, IL
- 8.2 miReef House ↗Carbondale, IL
- 8.3 miFuller, R. Buckminster, and Anne Hewlett Dome Home ↗Carbondale, IL
- 8.4 miIllinois Central Railroad Passenger Depot ↗Carbondale, IL
- 9.1 mi
- 10.1 miStotlar, Ed. M., House ↗Marion, IL
- 10.3 miAllen, Willis, House ↗Marion, IL
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Crab Orchard Wilderness?
4,050 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Crab Orchard Wilderness?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Crab Orchard Wilderness in?
Illinois.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Crab Orchard Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1976.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Crab Orchard Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Devils Kitchen Group Pavilion, 1.8 miles out. 1 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Crab Orchard Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 37.606, -89.106. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Crab Orchard Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Dk West De Rx at 1 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Crab Orchard Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 11 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Are there historic places near Crab Orchard Wilderness?
22 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Giant City State Park Lodge and Cabins and Giant City Stone Fort Site.
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.