BLM · Wilderness area · Arizona

North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness

The North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness consists of a series of rocky, isolated summits, long ridges, and vast, level valley floors. The ridges are dissected by normally dry washes and separated by desert...

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.

Wilderness63,200 acresBLMAZDesignated 19901 campground within 10 mi
Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationWilderness
Managed byBureau of Land Management
StateArizona
Size63,200 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1990, by Congress
Center point33.1030, -112.5288
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 29)

Boundary map

1 outline

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

Campsite Atlas →

1 federal campground sits inside the boundary and 0 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

BLM · Inside
Margies Cove West Campground
First-come3 sites

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 7 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness?

63,200 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness?

The Bureau of Land Management.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness in?

Arizona.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1990.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness?

1 federal campground sits inside the boundary, including Margies Cove West Campground. 1 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 North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 33.103, -112.529. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How dark is the night sky at North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 29 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Are there historic places near North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness?

7 National Register listings within 15 miles, including MacLennan House and Gila Bend Overpass.

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.