Emigrant Wilderness
The Emigrant Wilderness is located on the upper western slope of the central Sierra Nevada Mountain Range and is contiguous with the Yosemite Wilderness to it's south, the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness just...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 112,723 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1975, by Congress |
| Center point | 38.1832, -119.7621 |
| 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
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. 23 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
11 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Fire nearby
- WildfireDome
43 mi from the center point · 1,177 acres · 0% contained
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
- 0 miLeighton Encampment ↗Pinecrest, CA
- 2.5 miBaker Highway Maintenance Station ↗Strawberry, CA
- 4.1 miFrog Creek Cabin ↗Yosemite, CA
- 5.1 miNiagara Camp ↗Tuolumne, CA
- 6.3 mi
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Emigrant Wilderness?
112,723 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Emigrant Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Emigrant Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Emigrant Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1975.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Emigrant Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Deadman Campground, 1.5 miles out. 23 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 Emigrant Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 38.183, -119.762. Yosemite National Park is 20 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Emigrant Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Dome at 43 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Emigrant Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 25 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Which national parks are near Emigrant Wilderness?
Yosemite National Park (20 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Emigrant Wilderness?
5 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Leighton Encampment and Baker Highway Maintenance Station.
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.