Golden Valley Wilderness
The Lava Mountains span the northwestern portion of Golden Valley Wilderness, cresting to almost 5,000 feet on Dome Mountain. The Lavas are sliced by several steep-walled canyons arrayed in distinctive...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| State | California |
| Size | 37,786 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1994, by Congress |
| Center point | 35.4159, -117.4956 |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 29) |
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.
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
- WildfireAlper
27 mi from the center point · 105 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.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Golden Valley Wilderness?
37,786 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Golden Valley Wilderness?
The Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Golden Valley Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Golden Valley Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1994.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Golden Valley Wilderness?
No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to Golden Valley Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 35.416, -117.496. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Golden Valley Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Alper at 27 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Golden Valley Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 29 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.
Source: NASA Black Marble
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.