San Gabriel Wilderness
The San Gabriel Wilderness lies within the newly designated San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. This Wilderness is known for its extremely rugged and scenic terrain. Dense thickets of chaparral in the low country yield to mixed pine- and fir-covered slopes and ridge tops, which rise to majestic peaks and meadows rich with spring wildflowers. Trails here include the 239W10 Bear Creek Trail, the 1310W04 Mount Waterman Trail #1 (with the 1310W04.A mile-long side trail), Twin Peaks Trail to Twin Peak Saddle, the 1310W05 Mount Waterman Trail #2, and the 1311W07 Devil's Canyon Trail.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 35,738 acres |
| Designated | 1968, by Congress |
| Center point | 34.29° N, 117.93° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 17) |
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 26 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.
Show 4 moreHide
14 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trails
6 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 22 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Bear Creek Trail ↗ | 9.6 | |
| Mt. Waterman #1 ↗ | 5.3 | |
| Mt. Waterman #2 | 3.1 | |
| Devils Canyon | 2.8 | |
| Twin Peaks | 1 | |
| Sierra Alta | 0.2 |
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
- PrescribedAnf/Rx Burn
12 mi from the center point
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
- 3.4 miFox Fullerton Theatre Complex ↗Fullerton, CA
- 5.8 miPegler, John Carlton, House ↗Sierra Madre, CA
- 5.8 miOaks, The ↗Monrovia, CA
- 6 miEpiscopal Church of the Ascension ↗Sierra Madre, CA
- 6.1 miAztec Hotel ↗Monrovia, CA
- 6.3 miRubel Castle Historic District ↗Glendora, CA
- 6.4 miBrossart, John F. and Julia House ↗Monrovia, CA
- 6.4 miBlair, Luther and Adah, House ↗Monrovia, CA
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.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is San Gabriel Wilderness?
35,738 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages San Gabriel Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is San Gabriel Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was San Gabriel Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1968.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at San Gabriel 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 San Gabriel Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 34.294° N, 117.933° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near San Gabriel Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Anf/Rx Burn at 12 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near San Gabriel Wilderness?
The National Register has 181 listings within 15 miles, including Fox Fullerton Theatre Complex and Pegler, John Carlton, House.
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.