Sierra Ancha Wilderness
Centuries ago the Salado Indians built and lived in cliff dwellings in this region, and the ruins of many of them still stand today. Uranium exploration carved a few roads into this area in the 1950s, roads now being reclaimed by natural processes. An "original" Arizona Wilderness, Sierra Ancha was established as a Primitive Area in 1933 and as a Wilderness in 1964. Exceptionally rough, scenic, and often inaccessible, Sierra Ancha consists of precipitous box canyons, towering vertical cliffs, and pine-covered mesas. Elevations range from 4,000 feet near Cherry Creek to more than 7,400 feet on several high peaks, with the highest point on Aztec Peak at 7,733 feet.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Arizona |
| Size | 20,253 acres |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 33.83° N, 110.90° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 15) |
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 2 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.
Trails
10 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 47 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Moody Point ↗ | 8.6 | |
| Rim ↗ | 7.6 | |
| Deep Creek ↗ | 5 | |
| Grapevine ↗ | 5 | |
| Lucky Strike ↗ | 5 | |
| Coon | 4.3 | |
| Reynolds Creek | 3.7 | |
| McFadden Horse | 3.3 | |
| Center Mountain | 2.5 | |
| Murphy | 1.5 |
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
- PrescribedD2 Sinkhole Rx
33 mi from the center point · 875 acres
- PrescribedRx Payson Pits Tnf0401P
35 mi from the center point
- PrescribedD2 Dye Rx
42 mi from the center point · 5,246 acres
- PrescribedD2 Vincent Rx
43 mi from the center point · 2,258 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
- 9.9 miSalt River Bridge ↗Roosevelt, AZ
- 11.7 miPerkins Store ↗Young, AZ
- 12.8 miPleasant Valley Ranger Station ↗Young, AZ
- 13.3 mi
- 13.5 mi
- 13.6 mi
- 14.7 miAlchesay Canyon Bridge ↗Roosevelt, AZ
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Arizona
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 Sierra Ancha Wilderness?
20,253 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Sierra Ancha Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Sierra Ancha Wilderness in?
Arizona.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Sierra Ancha Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Sierra Ancha 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 Sierra Ancha Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 33.827° N, 110.896° W. Tonto National Monument is 13 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Sierra Ancha Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest D2 Sinkhole Rx at 33 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Sierra Ancha Wilderness?
Tonto National Monument (13 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Sierra Ancha Wilderness?
The National Register has 7 listings within 15 miles, including Salt River Bridge and Perkins Store.
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.