USFS · Wilderness area · Arizona

Hellsgate Wilderness

Lying at the base of the Mogollon Rim, upper Tonto Creek has incised a 1,000-foot-deep canyon that runs entirely through the center of this Wilderness. A perennial waterway, Tonto Creek creates deep emerald...

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.

Wilderness37,457 acresUSFSAZDesignated 198422 campgrounds within 10 mi
Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Hellsgate Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateArizona
Size37,457 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1984, by Congress
Center point34.1960, -111.0590
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 18)

Boundary map

1 outline

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

Campsite Atlas →

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 22 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

FS · 2.1 mi
Christopher Creek
Reservable44 sites
FS · 2.2 mi
Ponderosa
Reservable52 sites
FS · 2.6 mi
Haigler Canyon Campground and Day Use
First-come2 sites
FS · 2.8 mi
Sharp Creek
Reservable20 sites
FS · 3.6 mi
Lower Tonto Creek
Reservable13 sites
FS · 4 mi
Upper Tonto Creek
Reservable13 sites
FS · 5.5 mi
Fr 9350 Campground
First-comeAZ
FS · 5.6 mi
Mogollon Campground
Reservable26 sites
Show 4 more

10 more within ten miles are not listed here.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 5 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Hellsgate Wilderness?

37,457 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Hellsgate Wilderness?

The U.S. Forest Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Hellsgate Wilderness in?

Arizona.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Hellsgate Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1984.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Hellsgate Wilderness?

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Christopher Creek, 2.1 miles out. 22 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 Hellsgate Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 34.196, -111.059. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How dark is the night sky at Hellsgate Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 18 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 Hellsgate Wilderness?

5 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Diamond Point Lookout Cabin and Pleasant Valley Ranger 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.