Lava Beds Wilderness
A million years of volcanic turmoil produced the ragged and seemingly inhospitable landscape of Lava Beds Wilderness, located in the Lava Bed National Monument. Despite this, even the youngest cinder cones—hardly...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 28,460 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1972, by Congress |
| Center point | 41.7533, -121.5190 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 19) |
Boundary map
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
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary and 5 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedAdin Airport Rx
49 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
- 6.3 miCarpenter and Paint Shop ↗National Historic Landmark
- 0.5 miSchonchin Butte Fire Lookout ↗Tulelake, CA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Lava Beds Wilderness?
28,460 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Lava Beds Wilderness?
The National Park Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Lava Beds Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Lava Beds Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1972.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Lava Beds Wilderness?
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary, including Indian Well Campground. 6 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 Lava Beds Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 41.753, -121.519. Lava Beds National Monument is adjacent. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Lava Beds Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Adin Airport Rx at 49 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Lava Beds Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 19 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Which national parks are near Lava Beds Wilderness?
Lava Beds National Monument (adjacent) and Tule Lake National Monument (6 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Lava Beds Wilderness?
2 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Carpenter and Paint Shop and Schonchin Butte Fire Lookout.
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.