Galiuro Wilderness
The precipitous, rocky, and brushy Galiuro Mountains rise abruptly in block-like uplifts from the almost flat desert plains. Nineteen miles in length and six miles in width (on average), they are almost all designated Wilderness. Erosion has done its work here, creating many rugged cliffs with brightly colored rocks and exposed soils. Bisected by two main canyons, Redfield and Rattlesnake, the mountains support vegetation varying from semidesert grasslands through pinion, juniper, oak, and brush to mixed conifers and even aspens in the higher elevations. From about 4,000 feet, the ground rises to 7,671 feet on Bassett Peak. You'll find no perennial streams, but riparian areas appear throughout the Wilderness.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Arizona |
| Size | 77,585 acres |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 32.58° N, 110.33° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 19) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees 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
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.
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 miGaliuro Wilderness ↗Backpacking · Year-round
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
20 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 106 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| West Divide ↗ | 23.7 | |
| East Divide ↗ | 21.6 | |
| Powers Garden ↗ | 8.9 | |
| Rattlesnake ↗ | 8 | |
| Sycamore ↗ | 5.5 | |
| Tortilla ↗ | 5.5 | |
| Paddy'S River ↗ | 4.5 | |
| Pipestem | 4.4 | |
| Corral Canyon | 4.2 | |
| Mail Box | 3.7 |
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.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedMica Mountain Rx
29 mi from the center point
- PrescribedSafford Piles Rx
32 mi from the center point · 367 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
- under 0.1 miPower's Cabin ↗Willcox, AZ
- 10.1 miSchilling Ranch Historic District ↗Corral, AZ
- 14.5 miWest Peak Lookout Tower ↗Bonita, AZ
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Arizona
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 Galiuro Wilderness?
77,585 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Galiuro Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Galiuro Wilderness in?
Arizona.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Galiuro Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to Galiuro Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 32.585° N, 110.332° W. Saguaro National Park is 30 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Galiuro Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Mica Mountain Rx at 29 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Galiuro Wilderness?
Saguaro National Park (30 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Galiuro Wilderness?
The National Register has 3 listings within 15 miles, including Power's Cabin and Schilling Ranch Historic District.
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.