North Absaroka Wilderness
Yellowstone National Park lies along the western boundary of North Absaroka Wilderness, which also shares a border with Montana and contains one of the areas least desecrated by humanity's insatiable thirst for development, a fact evidenced throughout the Lower 48. Several summits rise above 10,000 feet with the highest point on Dead Indian Peak at 12,216 feet. Dead Indian Peak stands about eight miles from Dead Indian Meadows and about 15 miles from other landmarks, such as Dead Indian Pass, Dead Indian Hill, Dead Indian Creek, and Dead Indian Campground. It makes you wonder if this region was hazardous to Native Americans. This remote and rugged country contains large regions of virtually inaccessible terrain.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Wyoming |
| Size | 346,320 acres |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 44.74° N, 109.74° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 16) |
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.
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 18 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.
Show 4 moreHide
6 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trails
38 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 264 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Crandall Trail ↗ | 19 | |
| Pahaska/Sunlight Trail ↗ | 18.2 | |
| North Crandal Trail ↗ | 16.4 | |
| Big Cr Trail ↗ | 11.8 | |
| Trout Cr Trail ↗ | 11 | |
| Jones Cr Trail ↗ | 10.8 | |
| Elk Creek Trail ↗ | 10.7 | |
| Papoose Ridge Trail ↗ | 10.6 | |
| Trout Peak Trail ↗ | 10.6 | |
| Crow Cr Trail ↗ | 9.7 |
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.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 0.4 miNortheast Entrance Station ↗National Historic Landmark
- 11.3 miLake Hotel ↗National Historic Landmark
- 0.5 miPahaska Tepee ↗Cody, WY
- 0.9 miAbsaroka Mountain Lodge ↗Cody, WY
- 1.1 miCooke City Store ↗Cooke City, MT
- 1.1 miElephant Head Lodge ↗Cody, WY
- 1.1 miRed Star Lodge and Sawmill ↗Cody, WY
- 1.5 miGoff Creek Lodge ↗Cody, WY
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Wyoming
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 North Absaroka Wilderness?
346,320 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages North Absaroka Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is North Absaroka Wilderness in?
Wyoming.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was North Absaroka Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at North Absaroka 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 North Absaroka Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 44.737° N, 109.741° W. Yellowstone National Park is 19 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Which national parks are near North Absaroka Wilderness?
Yellowstone National Park (19 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near North Absaroka Wilderness?
The National Register has 13 listings within 15 miles, including Northeast Entrance Station and Lake Hotel.
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.