USFWS · Wilderness area · Florida

Pelican Island Wilderness

President Theodore Roosevelt set aside tiny Pelican Island as a bird haven on March 14, 1903, ordering the first federal land dedication to wildlife and thus creating the National Wildlife Refuge System....

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

Wilderness5 acresUSFWSFLDesignated 1970
Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Pelican Island Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
1fire
active
Blue Lake · 18 mi from the center · 932 acres
Interagency incident data as of 2026-09-17
Incident details ↓

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
StateFlorida
Size5 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1970, by Congress
Center point27.7964, -80.4329
Night skyNoticeable light pollution (Black Marble reading 90)

Boundary map

1 outline

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.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

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.

Fire nearby

Within 50 miles · as of 2026-09-17
  • Wildfire
    Blue Lake

    18 mi from the center point · 932 acres · 90% contained

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

National Register listings within 15 miles · 25 in all · Register Atlas

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

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Pelican Island Wilderness?

5 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Pelican Island Wilderness?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Pelican Island Wilderness in?

Florida.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Pelican Island Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1970.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Pelican Island Wilderness?

No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How do I get to Pelican Island Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 27.796, -80.433. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Is there a fire near Pelican Island Wilderness right now?

1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Blue Lake at 18 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.

Source: Fire nearby

How dark is the night sky at Pelican Island Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 90 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, noticeable light pollution.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Are there historic places near Pelican Island Wilderness?

25 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Lawson, Bamma Vickers, House and Old Town Sebastian Historic District East.

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.