Domeland Wilderness
The Domeland Wilderness is known for its many granite domes and unique geological formations. Wet meadows, semiarid mountains covered thick with pinion, and low elevation desert are the range of habitat types you will find here. Rugged topography, perennial streams, and rivers create outstanding opportunities for solitude and primitive recreation. The Wild and Scenic South Fork of the Kern River, one of America's wildest rivers, crosses the Wilderness through deep gorges with bold rock outcroppings and domes. The river and its tributaries, which include Fish Creek, attract anglers in search of trout. The Pacific Crest Trail crosses the area north-south and follows the river for about nine miles.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 133,720 acres |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 35.88° N, 118.19° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 25) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
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 23 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.
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11 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 backpacking. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 2 miDomeland Wilderness ↗Backpacking
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
16 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 164 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific Crest ↗ | 43.9 | |
| Pacific Crest ↗ | 43.9 | |
| Woodpecker ↗ | 19.8 | |
| Rockhouse ↗ | 12 | |
| Siretta ↗ | 9.2 | |
| Domeland ↗ | 8.8 | |
| Manter Creek ↗ | 5.5 | |
| Dark Canyon ↗ | 4.9 | |
| Big Meadow ↗ | 4.5 | |
| Manter North | 2.7 |
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.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 14 miBandit Rock ↗Inyokern, 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 Domeland Wilderness?
133,720 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Domeland Wilderness?
Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service share management. The Bureau of Land Management portion is the largest in the wilderness record.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Domeland Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Domeland Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Domeland 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 Domeland Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 35.878° N, 118.193° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Are there historic places near Domeland Wilderness?
The National Register has 1 listing within 15 miles, including Bandit Rock.
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.