San Jacinto Wilderness
Unique among designated areas, San Jacinto Wilderness, managed by the USFS, lies split in half by the Mount San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness, which is managed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation. The boundaries embrace the grand San Jacinto Mountains (elevations from 6,000 feet to 10,000 feet), and the flora and fauna varies from desert to alpine. Steep cliffs and ridges descend dramatically from pine-covered peaks in the northern half of the Wilderness. In the central section, high mountain plateaus shelter lush, stream-splashed meadows surrounded by magnificent forests. In the south, a section known as the Desert Divide lies densely covered with stands of chaparral.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 32,186 acres |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 33.86° N, 116.67° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 27) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
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 5 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.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 2 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 1 interpretive site, 1 trailhead. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 6 miHumber Park Trailhead Parking ↗Trailhead
- 7 miTahquitz Peak Fire Lookout ↗Interpretive site
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
23 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 71 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| PCT Section 25 ↗ | 15.7 | |
| PCT Section 32 ↗ | 5.7 | |
| PCT Section 27 ↗ | 5.2 | |
| Spitler Peak ↗ | 4.8 | |
| Caramba | 4.3 | |
| Lower South Ridge | 4.2 | |
| South Ridge | 4.1 | |
| PCT Section 33 ↗ | 3.6 | |
| PCT Section 34 ↗ | 2.7 | |
| Devil'S Slide | 2.5 |
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
- WildfireGreen
26 mi from the center point · 55 acres
- PrescribedGreater El Cariso Rx
43 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
- 12.3 miEstudillo Mansion ↗National Historic Landmark
- 1.3 miPalm Springs Aerial Tramway Mountain Station ↗Idyllwild, CA
- 2.3 miDonaldson Futuro ↗Idyllwild, CA
- 2.6 miPearlman Mountain Cabin ↗Idyllwild, CA
- 3.1 miEdris House ↗Palm Springs, CA
- 3.2 miAlexander, Dr. Franz, House ↗Palm Springs, CA
- 3.3 miHamrick House ↗Palm Springs, CA
- 3.3 miTramway Gas Station ↗Palm Springs, 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 Jacinto Wilderness?
32,186 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages San Jacinto Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is San Jacinto Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was San Jacinto Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at San Jacinto 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 Jacinto Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 33.858° N, 116.672° W. Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail is 26 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near San Jacinto Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Green at 26 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near San Jacinto Wilderness?
Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail (26 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near San Jacinto Wilderness?
The National Register has 39 listings within 15 miles, including Estudillo Mansion and Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Mountain Station.
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.