Paiute Wilderness
This Wilderness area consists of the Piute Mountains and the surrounding bajadas and extensive flat aprons of alluvium. The elevations within the Wilderness range from 2,000 to 4,132 feet. The Piute Mountains exhibit strong color contrast and texture that vary from very angular, jagged volcanics to rounded, smooth granite hills; and the ridges are cut by numerous canyons and washes. Dominant vegetation is typical of much of the Mojave Desert, consisting of creosote bush scrub, which gradually changes into a mixed desert scrub at higher elevations. The dry washes are characterized by catclaw acacia, smoketree, cheesebush, desert lavender, little-leaf ratany, and desert almond.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| State | Arizona |
| Size | 87,900 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 36.81° N, 113.82° W |
| 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.
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 1 federal campground within ten miles sits inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedPoverty Admin Site Rx
31 mi from the center point
- PrescribedTwin Point Piles Rx
49 mi from the center point
- PrescribedMt Trumbull Fuel Break Pile Rx
50 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
- 4.5 miSand Hollow Wash Bridge ↗Littlefield, AZ
- 7.1 miMesquite High School Gymnasium ↗Mesquite, NV
- 7.8 miDesert Valley Museum ↗Mesquite, NV
- 7.9 miBlake, Wallace, House ↗St. George, UT
- 11.4 miDixie Hillside “d” ↗St. George, UT
- 11.4 miButler, William F., House ↗St. George, UT
- 11.6 miHamblin, Jacob, House ↗Santa Clara, UT
- 11.6 miLeavitt, Lemuel and Mary Ann, House ↗Santa Clara, UT
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 Paiute Wilderness?
87,900 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Paiute Wilderness?
The Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Paiute Wilderness in?
Arizona.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Paiute Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Paiute 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 Paiute Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 36.807° N, 113.817° W. Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument is 20 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Paiute Wilderness right now?
3 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Poverty Admin Site Rx at 31 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Paiute Wilderness?
Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument (20 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Paiute Wilderness?
The National Register has 25 listings within 15 miles, including Sand Hollow Wash Bridge and Mesquite High School Gymnasium.
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.