Salome Wilderness
If you hike rough and lonesome Salome Canyon, the major canyon that runs almost the entire length of this Wilderness, you probably won't encounter another human being. However, you may see remnants of the Salado Indians, who lived here until vanishing about 700 years ago. As you work your way north, the land becomes increasingly rugged with many bedrock outcroppings. It culminates in Hell's Hole, a region of precipitous bluffs. Water is sometimes available from several small springs. Semidesert grasslands and chaparral dominate the vegetation. Winters usually freeze, and summer temperatures often exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Elevations range from 2,600 feet at lower Salome Creek to 6,500 feet on Hopkins Mountain.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Arizona |
| Size | 18,534 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 33.84° N, 111.07° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 18) |
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 7 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
2 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 10 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Hells Hole ↗ | 5.3 | |
| Boyer ↗ | 5 |
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
- PrescribedRx Payson Pits Tnf0401P
32 mi from the center point
- PrescribedD2 Sinkhole Rx
34 mi from the center point · 875 acres
- PrescribedD2 Vincent Rx
42 mi from the center point · 2,258 acres
- PrescribedD2 Dye Rx
42 mi from the center point · 5,246 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
- 6.7 miAlchesay Canyon Bridge ↗Roosevelt, AZ
- 7.7 mi
- 7.9 mi
- 8.1 mi
- 12.1 miPine Creek Bridge ↗Tortilla Flat, AZ
- 13.8 miPerkins Store ↗Young, AZ
- 14.9 miSalt River Bridge ↗Roosevelt, 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 Salome Wilderness?
18,534 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Salome Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Salome Wilderness in?
Arizona.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Salome Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Salome 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 Salome Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 33.839° N, 111.066° W. Tonto National Monument is 8 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Salome Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Rx Payson Pits Tnf0401P at 32 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Salome Wilderness?
Tonto National Monument (8 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Salome Wilderness?
The National Register has 7 listings within 15 miles, including Alchesay Canyon Bridge and Tonto National Monument Visitor Center.
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.