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 cacti, the monarchs of the Sonoran Desert. Elevations range from 3,600 feet to 7,700 feet. The lower elevations are rolling and rocky with desert grasses, while the upper elevations are dramatic rock outcroppings and steep pinion, juniper, and oak covered hillsides rising above deep canyons.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Arizona |
| Size | 36,949 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 32.17° N, 110.49° W |
| 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.
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 4 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
3 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 14 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Italian Spring ↗ | 7 | |
| Miller Canyon ↗ | 4.9 | |
| Turkey Creek | 1.8 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedMica Mountain Rx
5 mi from the center point
- PrescribedNogales Piles Rx
32 mi from the center point · 101 acres
- PrescribedSierra Vista Piles Rx
43 mi from the center point · 161 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.
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 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?
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 Rincon Mountain Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 32.167° N, 110.490° W. 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?
3 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Mica Mountain Rx at 5 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
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?
The National Register has 12 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.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- 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.