BLM · California

Rodman Mountains Wilderness

Colorful escarpments, white mountains splotched with red and black, a maze of canyons, and majestic bajadas come together in Rodman Mountains Wilderness. From northwest to southeast across the middle of the area, a large lava flow forms a long mesa that slices the terrain in two. More than a half-dozen natural tanks lie within the lava. Two of the tanks, named Hidden and Deep, contain thousands of gallons of water. Canyons with nearly vertical walls form deep drainage channels that cascade with water during desert storms. Faults created the valleys and ridges that play over the eastern and western portions of the area.

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Rodman Mountains Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byBureau of Land Management
StateCalifornia
Size34,264 acres
Designated1994, by Congress
Center point34.72° N, 116.59° W
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 28)

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.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Rodman Mountains Wilderness40°50°60°70°80°90°January: 0.57 inches of precipitationFebruary: 0.70 inches of precipitationMarch: 0.43 inches of precipitationApril: 0.22 inches of precipitationMay: 0.05 inches of precipitationJune: 0.03 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.28 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.20 inches of precipitationSeptember: 0.17 inches of precipitationOctober: 0.24 inches of precipitationNovember: 0.32 inches of precipitationDecember: 0.56 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 48.8°F averageFebruary: 52.8°F averageMarch: 59.1°F averageApril: 65.4°F averageMay: 74.2°F averageJune: 83.6°F averageJuly: 89.6°F averageAugust: 88.5°F averageSeptember: 81.1°F averageOctober: 68.8°F averageNovember: 56.1°F averageDecember: 47.4°F average0 in0.5 in1 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Barstow Daggett AP, 15 miles from the center point at 1,917 feet, station USW00023161 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 4 inches a year. The station sits about 2,200 feet lower than the center point, so temperatures on the ground run cooler.

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

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 2026-11-01
  • Wildfire
    Green

    49 mi from the center point · 55 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

National Register listings within 15 miles · 1 in all · Register Atlas

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

Guidebooks for California

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Walkabout Northern California
    Tom Courtney, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Backpacking California
    Wilderness Press, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Coastal trails of Southern California
    Linda B. Mullally, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Hiking northern California
    Bubba Suess, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail: Southern California
    Shawnte Salabert, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Rodman Mountains Wilderness?

34,264 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Rodman Mountains Wilderness?

The Bureau of Land Management.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Rodman Mountains Wilderness in?

California.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Rodman Mountains Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1994.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How do I get to Rodman Mountains Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 34.717° N, 116.591° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Is there a fire near Rodman Mountains Wilderness right now?

1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Green at 49 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.

Source: Fire nearby

Are there historic places near Rodman Mountains Wilderness?

The National Register has 1 listing within 15 miles, including Alf's Blacksmith Shop.

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.