Grand Wash Cliffs Wilderness
You won't find the Colorado River, the force of nature that eons ago carved the Grand Wash Cliffs of Arizona, anywhere near the cliffs themselves. Today the Colorado flows about 20 miles to the south...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| State | Arizona |
| Size | 37,030 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 36.4528, -113.7831 |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 28) |
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
- WildfireLast Chance
5 mi from the center point · 74 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
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Grand Wash Cliffs Wilderness?
37,030 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Grand Wash Cliffs Wilderness?
The Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Grand Wash Cliffs Wilderness in?
Arizona.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Grand Wash Cliffs Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Grand Wash Cliffs 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 Grand Wash Cliffs Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 36.453, -113.783. Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument is 3 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Grand Wash Cliffs Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Last Chance at 5 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Grand Wash Cliffs Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 28 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 Grand Wash Cliffs Wilderness?
Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument (3 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
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.