Devil's Canyon Wilderness
There are relatively few canyons on the west side of the San Rafael Swell, where the land slopes more gently and does not form the dramatic reef that characterizes the eastern edge. Devil’s Canyon is one of those few, and one of the most striking. The canyon is a long drainage that starts just beneath the highest point in the Swell, San Rafael Knob, and has eroded deep into layers of sandstone. This canyon is a rugged, sinuous gorge with numerous short tributary canyons that drain westward toward Muddy Creek. Pour offs and abrupt changes in the gradient of the canyon floor are frequent. The north-eastern part of the Wilderness is a densely vegetated area of rounded knobs and benches.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| State | Utah |
| Size | 8,675 acres |
| Designated | 2019, by Congress |
| Center point | 38.82° N, 110.97° 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
40 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
- 13.6 miEmery Lds Church ↗Emery, 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 Devil's Canyon Wilderness?
8,675 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Devil's Canyon Wilderness?
The Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Devil's Canyon Wilderness in?
Utah.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Devil's Canyon Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2019.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to Devil's Canyon Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 38.823° N, 110.966° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Devil's Canyon Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest 12 Mile Rx at 40 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Devil's Canyon Wilderness?
The National Register has 1 listing within 15 miles, including Emery Lds Church.
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.