Miller Peak Wilderness
The Miller Peak Wilderness lies between the city of Sierra Vista and the Mexican border in the southern half of the Huachuca Mountains. Elevations range from 5,200 feet to 9,466 feet atop Miller Peak, the highest southernmost peak in the United States. Many sheer cliffs rise hundreds of feet above the canyon floors. More than 170 species of birds have been spotted here, including 14 kinds of hummingbirds. More than 60 species of reptiles and 78 species of mammals inhabit the area. Once cloaked in pine and fir, many recent fires have converted much of this area to predominantly oak, aspen and grass vegetation. At least 21 trails lead through the Wilderness from its eastern, western, and southern boundaries.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Arizona |
| Size | 20,251 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 31.41° N, 110.33° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 17) |
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.
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
None of the 4 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 day hiking. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 2 miBear Canyon #125 Trailhead ↗Day hiking · Year-round
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
22 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 76 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Crest ↗ | 25.7 | |
| Bear Canyon ↗ | 7.3 | |
| Miller Canyon ↗ | 4.9 | |
| Sunnyside Canyon ↗ | 4.8 | |
| Brown Canyon | 4.2 | |
| Ida Canyon | 3.6 | |
| Carr Peak | 3.4 | |
| Lutz Canyon | 3 | |
| Oversite Canyon | 2.9 | |
| Hamburg Trail | 2.8 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedSierra Vista Piles Rx
15 mi from the center point · 161 acres
- PrescribedNogales Piles Rx
32 mi from the center point · 101 acres
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
- 2.1 miKinjockity Ranch ↗Hereford, AZ
- 6.7 miFry Pioneer Cemetery ↗Sierra Vista, AZ
- 9 miHereford Bridge ↗Hereford, AZ
- 9.1 miCanelo School ↗Canelo, AZ
- 9.8 miCanelo Ranger Station ↗Canelo, AZ
- 10.9 miLittle Outfit Schoolhouse, The ↗Patagonia, AZ
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Arizona
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Miller Peak Wilderness?
20,251 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Miller Peak Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Miller Peak Wilderness in?
Arizona.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Miller Peak Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Miller Peak Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Miller Peak Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 31.410° N, 110.330° W. Coronado National Memorial is 2 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Miller Peak Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Sierra Vista Piles Rx at 15 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Miller Peak Wilderness?
Coronado National Memorial (2 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Miller Peak Wilderness?
The National Register has 6 listings within 15 miles, including Kinjockity Ranch and Fry Pioneer Cemetery.
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.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- 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.