North Fork Wilderness
Designated Wild and Scenic, the thin ribbon of the Eel River's North Fork flows through the middle of this Wilderness and through a spectacular gorge lined with mixed conifers in its upper region and an oak forest lower down. Steelhead and salmon live in the river in limited numbers, and fishing is permitted. The steep and rugged Wilderness encompasses the watershed of the North Fork, with streams feeding the river from the east and west. North-facing slopes are timbered in Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, and delightfully fragrant incense cedar. South-facing slopes are generally grassy and overgrown with manzanita and scrub oak.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 8,158 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 40.12° N, 123.33° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 13) |
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.
Trails
1 named Forest Service trail enters this wilderness, 4 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Packwood Flat | 3.9 |
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
- PrescribedHayfork Watershed Rx
32 mi from the center point
- PrescribedAlder Springs Underburn Rx
46 mi from the center point
- PrescribedLower Gas Point Vmp Rx
47 mi from the center point · 254 acres
- PrescribedFive-6 Understory 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.
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Reference
Questions people ask
How big is North Fork Wilderness?
8,158 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages North Fork Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is North Fork Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was North Fork Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to North Fork Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 40.121° N, 123.332° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near North Fork Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Hayfork Watershed Rx at 32 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
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.