Rice Valley Wilderness
The northwestern tip of the Big Maria Mountains, rising to about 2,000 feet above sea level, gives way to the broad, flat plains of Rice Valley within this Wilderness. Rice Valley is the southern end of a vast sheet of sand extending from Cadiz Valley in the north southward across Ward Valley. Relatively small as far as dunes go, the buff-colored sand of Rice Valley rises 30 to 40 feet above the valley floor and stretches in a long, narrow band along the middle of the region. Beyond the mountains, this is a Wilderness of sand.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| State | California |
| Size | 41,777 acres |
| Designated | 1994, by Congress |
| Center point | 33.95° N, 114.74° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 35) |
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.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 14.4 miClassroom Building, Poston Elementary School, Unit 1 ↗National Historic Landmark
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 Rice Valley Wilderness?
41,777 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Rice Valley Wilderness?
The Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Rice Valley Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Rice Valley Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1994.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to Rice Valley Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 33.948° N, 114.744° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Are there historic places near Rice Valley Wilderness?
The National Register has 1 listing within 15 miles, including Classroom Building, Poston Elementary School, Unit 1.
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.