Granite Chief Wilderness
Located at the headwaters of the American River, the Granite Chief was designated a Wilderness area because of its pristine nature, natural beauty, and potential to provide primitive, non-motorized recreation...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 28,374 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 39.1438, -120.3030 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 13) |
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.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 27 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 3 moreHide
15 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.
- 3 miGranite Chief Wilderness ↗Backpacking
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Fire nearby
- WildfireFloriston
23 mi from the center point · 610 acres · 4% 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
- 5.3 miLake Tahoe Dam ↗Tahoe City, CA
- 5.4 miOutlet Gates and Gatekeeper's Cabin ↗Tahoe City, CA
- 5.4 miChapel of the Transfiguration ↗Tahoe City, CA
- 5.5 miWatson Log Cabin ↗Tahoe City, CA
- 10.5 miKruger House ↗Truckee, CA
- 10.6 miTruckee Veterans Memorial Building ↗Truckee, CA
- 13.2 miCal-Vada Lodge Hotel ↗Crystal Bay, NV
- 13.5 miWithers Log House ↗Crystal Bay, NV
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Granite Chief Wilderness?
28,374 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Granite Chief Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Granite Chief Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Granite Chief Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Granite Chief Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Ahart Campground, 2.8 miles out. 27 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
Where are the trailheads in Granite Chief Wilderness?
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site here, including 1 backpacking. Each one links to its Forest Service page.
Source: Trailheads and sites
How do I get to Granite Chief Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 39.144, -120.303. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Granite Chief Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Floriston at 23 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Granite Chief Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 13 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Are there historic places near Granite Chief Wilderness?
8 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Lake Tahoe Dam and Outlet Gates and Gatekeeper's Cabin.
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.