Sid's Mountain Wilderness
The Sid’s Mountain Wilderness is in the northwest portion of the San Rafael Swell and is named after one of the area’s earliest ranchers, Sid Swasey. Sid’s Cabin was built in the 1920’s and is situated in one of the large rolling meadows within the Wilderness. The landscape is characterized by an intricate canyon system, which drains northward into the San Rafael River. Massive sandstone walls, winding routes, and small tributary canyons make up the eastern portion whereas in the west, rough badlands terrain consisting of colorful, eroded soils, cliffs, and mesas exist throughout. Pinyon-juniper woodlands is the dominant vegetation type.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| State | Utah |
| Size | 49,130 acres |
| Designated | 2019, by Congress |
| Center point | 39.03° N, 110.79° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 30) |
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 4 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.
Fire nearby
- Prescribed12 Mile Rx
46 mi from the center point · 350 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
- 0.3 miSan Rafael Bridge ↗Castle Dale, UT
- 4.7 miDenver and Rio Grande Lime Kiln ↗Cleveland, UT
- 12 miCastle Dale Bridge ↗Castle Dale, UT
- 12 miSeeley, Justis Wellington Ii, House ↗Castle Dale, UT
- 12.1 miCastle Dale School ↗Castle Dale, UT
- 12.1 miChristensen, Paul C., House ↗Castle Dale, UT
- 12.3 miCastle Dale High School Shop ↗Castle Dale, UT
- 12.7 miJohansen, Peter, House ↗Castle Dale, UT
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Utah
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Sid's Mountain Wilderness?
49,130 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Sid's Mountain Wilderness?
The Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Sid's Mountain Wilderness in?
Utah.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Sid's Mountain Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2019.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Sid's Mountain 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 Sid's Mountain Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 39.025° N, 110.791° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Sid's Mountain Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest 12 Mile Rx at 46 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Sid's Mountain Wilderness?
The National Register has 10 listings within 15 miles, including San Rafael Bridge and Denver and Rio Grande Lime Kiln.
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.