Phillip Burton Wilderness
The Point Reyes Peninsula used to lie a couple hundred miles farther south before the San Andreas Fault decided to shift it to its current location. Unruffled by this forced eviction, the Point Reyes National Seashore presents a serene and sternly beautiful expanse of rock-lined beaches and a forest of fir and pine broken by meadowlands in the south. The Phillip Burton Wilderness makes up roughly one-third of this national parkland. Tall cliffs tower over forested ridges, and chaparral-covered swaths line both sides of a road that splits the Wilderness. More than 450 species of birds and 72 species of mammals have been identified, including seals and other marine animals that often gather along the bays and esteros.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 27,315 acres |
| Designated | 1976, by Congress |
| Center point | 38.04° N, 122.86° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 11) |
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.
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
- PrescribedB15 White Ranch Rx
45 mi from the center point · 30 acres
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
- 14.5 miStrout, George A., House ↗National Historic Landmark
- under 0.1 miPoint Reyes Naval Radio Compass Station ↗Inverness, CA
- 0.2 miOlema Lime Kilns ↗Olema, CA
- 1.6 miSchreiber, Brock, Boathouse and Beach ↗Inverness, CA
- 3 miTocaloma Bridge ↗Tocaloma, CA
- 3.2 miStation Kph Operating Station ↗Marshall, CA
- 3.2 mi
- 3.6 miTomales Presbyterian Church and Cemetery ↗Tomales, CA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for California
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Phillip Burton Wilderness?
27,315 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Phillip Burton Wilderness?
The National Park Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Phillip Burton Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Phillip Burton Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1976.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Phillip Burton 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 Phillip Burton Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 38.040° N, 122.862° W. Point Reyes National Seashore is adjacent. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Phillip Burton Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest B15 White Ranch Rx at 45 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Phillip Burton Wilderness?
Point Reyes National Seashore (adjacent), Muir Woods National Monument (8 mi) and Golden Gate National Recreation Area (8 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Phillip Burton Wilderness?
The National Register has 36 listings within 15 miles, including Strout, George A., House and Point Reyes Naval Radio Compass Station.
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.