USFS · Wilderness area · California

Sespe Wilderness

Sespe Wilderness provides ample evidence of past violent geological upthrusts. The landscape is bleak and jagged, and if you climb high enough, you'll find pine trees growing at odd angles on boulder-swept...

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Sespe Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateCalifornia
Size219,209 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1992, by Congress
Center point34.5859, -119.0212
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 19)

Boundary map

1 outline

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.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 20 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

Show 4 more

8 more within ten miles are not listed here.

Trailheads and sites

Forest Service directory · 2

The Forest Service lists 2 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 1 trailhead, 1 backpacking. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.

Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 12 in all · Register Atlas

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

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Sespe Wilderness?

219,209 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Sespe Wilderness?

The U.S. Forest Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Sespe Wilderness in?

California.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Sespe Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1992.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Sespe Wilderness?

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Reyes Creek Campground, 0 miles out. 20 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.

Source: Where to camp

Where are the trailheads in Sespe Wilderness?

The Forest Service lists 2 recreation sites here, including 1 trailhead and 1 backpacking. Each one links to its Forest Service page.

Source: Trailheads and sites

How do I get to Sespe Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 34.586, -119.021. Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is 26 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How dark is the night sky at Sespe Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 19 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Which national parks are near Sespe Wilderness?

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (26 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.

Source: Nearby on the other atlases

Are there historic places near Sespe Wilderness?

12 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Bardsdale Methodist Episcopal Church and Glen Tavern Hotel.

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.