Rincon Mountain Wilderness
Wrapping around three sides of Saguaro National Park just east of Tucson, this sharply rising, mountainous Wilderness serves to further protect and preserve the Park's odd and sometimes all-too-human-shaped...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Arizona |
| Size | 36,949 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 32.1668, -110.4905 |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 23) |
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
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 4 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedNogales Piles Rx
32 mi from the center point · 101 acres
- PrescribedSierra Vista Piles Rx
43 mi from the center point · 150 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
- 1.9 miManning Cabin ↗Tucson, AZ
- 3.5 miCienega Bridge ↗Vail, AZ
- 6.3 mi
- 6.4 miVail Post Office, Old ↗Vail, AZ
- 9.3 miTodd, Charles S., House ↗Tucson, AZ
- 12.4 miOasis Court ↗Benson, AZ
- 12.6 miRedfield--Romine House ↗Benson, AZ
- 12.7 miSmith--Beck House ↗Benson, AZ
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Rincon Mountain Wilderness?
36,949 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Rincon Mountain Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Rincon Mountain Wilderness in?
Arizona.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Rincon Mountain Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Rincon Mountain Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Saguaro National Park Wilderness Permits, 2.9 miles out. 4 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 Rincon Mountain Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 32.167, -110.490. Saguaro National Park is 10 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Rincon Mountain Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Nogales Piles Rx at 32 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Rincon Mountain Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 23 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Which national parks are near Rincon Mountain Wilderness?
Saguaro National Park (10 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Rincon Mountain Wilderness?
12 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Manning Cabin and Cienega Bridge.
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.