Jacumba Wilderness
On the eastern flank of California's coastal peninsular ranges, the Jacumba Mountains often appear as a fantastic jumble of granitic rock pushed up by faults in long-gone days. The mountains extend into Mexico, and the southern boundary of the Wilderness is the international border. A broad range, the Jacumbas are really a series of almost parallel ridges separating valleys, with each ridge successively lower than the next, forming a great staircase descending eastward into the Colorado Desert. Four transitional zones lie within the Wilderness. The western portion, the region near Smugglers Cave, provides homes for mule deer, rare peninsular bighorn sheep, golden eagles, and kangaroo rats.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| State | California |
| Size | 31,358 acres |
| Designated | 1994, by Congress |
| Center point | 32.67° N, 116.00° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 31) |
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.
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.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedOak Woodlands Wcsl Rx
36 mi from the center point
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
- 0.5 miDesert View Tower ↗Ocotillo, CA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for California
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Jacumba Wilderness?
31,358 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Jacumba Wilderness?
The Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Jacumba Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Jacumba Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1994.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to Jacumba Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 32.666° N, 116.004° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Jacumba Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Oak Woodlands Wcsl Rx at 36 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Jacumba Wilderness?
The National Register has 1 listing within 15 miles, including Desert View Tower.
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.