John Muir Wilderness
In 1889 John Muir described himself as a "self-styled poetico-tramp-geologist-bot. and ornith-natural, etc.!!! ". John Muir spent his life advocating for the protection of the wild parts of the Sierra...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 652,903 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 37.0375, -118.8362 |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 21) |
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
2 federal campgrounds sit inside the boundary and 83 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
73 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 3 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 1 trailhead, 1 viewpoint, 1 campground. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 24 miBear Ridge Cutoff Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 24 miVermillion View Observation Site ↗Viewpoint
- 28 miMosquito Flat Backpacker Campground ↗Campground
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 0.1 miSmithsonian Institution Shelter ↗Lone Pine, CA
- 2.4 miDevils Postpile National Monument Ranger Cabin ↗Mammoth Lakes, CA
- 4.1 miInyo County Courthouse ↗Independence, CA
- 9.7 miDinkey Creek Bridge ↗Dinkey Creek, CA
- 11.8 miGamlin Cabin ↗Wilsonia, CA
- 12.2 miBarton-Lackey Cabin ↗Mineral King, CA
- 13.5 mi
- 13.9 miKnapp Cabin ↗Cedar Grove, CA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is John Muir Wilderness?
652,903 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages John Muir Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is John Muir Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was John Muir Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at John Muir Wilderness?
2 federal campgrounds sit inside the boundary, including Grays Meadows and Onion Valley. 85 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 John Muir Wilderness?
The Forest Service lists 3 recreation sites here, including 1 trailhead, 1 viewing scenery and 1 campground campground. Each one links to its Forest Service page.
Source: Trailheads and sites
How do I get to John Muir Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 37.038, -118.836. Devils Postpile National Monument is 2 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How dark is the night sky at John Muir Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 21 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 John Muir Wilderness?
Devils Postpile National Monument (2 mi), Manzanar National Historic Site (6 mi) and Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (12 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near John Muir Wilderness?
8 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Smithsonian Institution Shelter and Devils Postpile National Monument Ranger 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.