Dick Smith Wilderness
Dick Smith--writer, artist, photographer--was deeply devoted to preservation of the wild and was called by some the "conscience of Santa Barbara." The Wilderness that bears his name is an area of extremely...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 71,275 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 34.6931, -119.5404 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 16) |
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. 10 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 0 miMadulce Guard Station and Site ↗Santa Barbara, CA
- 8.5 miRattlesnake Canyon Bridge ↗Santa Barbara, CA
- 9.4 miVal Verde ↗Santa Barbara, CA
- 10.7 miAcacia Lodge ↗Santa Barbara, CA
- 10.8 miSanta Barbara Presidio ↗Santa Barbara, CA
- 10.8 miUs Post Office--Santa Barbara Main ↗Santa Barbara, CA
- 10.8 miHill-Carrillo Adobe ↗Santa Barbara, CA
- 10.9 miEl Paseo and Casa de la Guerra ↗Santa Barbara, CA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Dick Smith Wilderness?
71,275 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Dick Smith Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Dick Smith Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Dick Smith Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Dick Smith Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Rancho Nuevo Campground, 0.1 miles out. 10 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 Dick Smith Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 34.693, -119.540. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How dark is the night sky at Dick Smith Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 16 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 Dick Smith Wilderness?
22 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Madulce Guard Station and Site and Rattlesnake Canyon Bridge.
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.