San Rafael Wilderness
After the initial preservation of land under the Wilderness Act of 1964, the original San Rafael Wilderness (1968) was the first Primitive area added to the National Wilderness Preservation System's roster. Here in the chaparral-covered San Rafael Mountains, elevations range from 1,166 feet near the confluence of Manzana Creek and the Sisquoc River in the west to over 6,800 feet on Big Pine Mountain near the eastern boundary and Dick Smith Wilderness. Too rocky and shallow to entice river runners, except perhaps in spring high water, all but two of the Sisquoc's 33 Wild and Scenic miles are within the Wilderness, tumbling through pools and oak-shaded grasslands, over waterfalls and past archaeological sites.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 191,104 acres |
| Designated | 1968, by Congress |
| Center point | 34.81° N, 119.87° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 19) |
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 9 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.
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Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 backpacking. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 5 mi
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
20 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 195 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Sisquoc ↗ | 32.7 | |
| Horse Canyon la Brea ↗ | 28.6 | |
| Manzana ↗ | 22.9 | |
| Santa Cruz ↗ | 18.9 | |
| Lost Valley ↗ | 18.3 | |
| Hurricane Deck ↗ | 14.6 | |
| Mission Pine ↗ | 14.6 | |
| Kerry Canyon OHV ↗ | 8.3 | |
| Sweetwater ↗ | 6.8 | |
| Roque Canyon ↗ | 5.8 |
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
- PrescribedDunes Lake Cultural Rx Burn
45 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
- 14.9 miMission Santa Ines, Church ↗National Historic Landmark
- 2.2 miMadulce Guard Station and Site ↗Santa Barbara, CA
- 11.1 miRattlesnake Canyon Bridge ↗Santa Barbara, CA
- 12.6 miHope, Thomas, House ↗Santa Barbara, CA
- 12.8 miVal Verde ↗Santa Barbara, CA
- 13.3 miSexton, Joseph and Lucy Foster, House ↗Santa Barbara, CA
- 13.3 miUs Post Office--Santa Barbara Main ↗Santa Barbara, CA
- 13.3 miHill-Carrillo Adobe ↗Santa Barbara, 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 Rafael Wilderness?
191,104 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages San Rafael Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is San Rafael Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was San Rafael Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1968.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at San Rafael 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 Rafael Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 34.813° N, 119.866° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near San Rafael Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Dunes Lake Cultural Rx Burn at 45 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near San Rafael Wilderness?
The National Register has 23 listings within 15 miles, including Mission Santa Ines, Church and Madulce Guard Station and Site.
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.