Siskiyou Wilderness
Forested ridges and craggy peaks with lower slopes densely covered with brush generally describes Siskiyou Wilderness. You'll also discover fragile mountain meadows, open glades, shallow lakes, and the Wild and Scenic South Fork of the Smith River, which forms a large portion of the western boundary. Clear Creek and the headwaters of the East Fork of the Illinois River flow perennially through the Wilderness. The area is noted for its great diversity of plant life, and includes one of the world's largest concentrations of lily species and perhaps as many as 20 species of conifers. Here grows the rare Brewers spruce (the "weeping" spruce).
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 179,847 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 41.69° N, 123.69° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 9) |
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 8 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 3 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 2 fishings, 1 backpacking. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 3 miMuslatt Lake ↗Fishing
- 3 miSiskiyou Wilderness ↗Backpacking
- 5 miIsland Lake ↗Fishing
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
23 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 118 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Clear Creek ↗ | 23.1 | |
| South Kelsey ↗ | 16.8 | |
| East Fork Illinois River ↗ | 10.8 | |
| Forks of Blue Creek ↗ | 8.1 | |
| Poker Flat-Young'S Valley ↗ | 7.9 | |
| Summit Valley ↗ | 7.8 | |
| West Fork Clear Creek ↗ | 7.4 | |
| Island Lake ↗ | 6.3 | |
| Black Butte | 3.3 | |
| Black Butte Tie | 3 |
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
- PrescribedSrf 2026 Rx Implementation
28 mi from the center point · 500 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
- 1.9 miOsgood Ditch ↗Cave Junction, OR
- 7.1 miCameron Mine ↗Cave Junction, OR
- 7.5 miAllen Gulch Townsite ↗Cave Junction, OR
- 7.8 miSt. Patrick's Roman Catholic Cemetery ↗Cave Junction, OR
- 8.9 miLogan Wash Ditch ↗Cave Junction, OR
- 9.6 miLogan Drain Ditches ↗Cave Junction, OR
- 10.6 miLogan Cut ↗Cave Junction, OR
- 10.7 miGasquet Ranger Station Historic District ↗Gasquet, 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 Siskiyou Wilderness?
179,847 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Siskiyou Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Siskiyou Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Siskiyou Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Siskiyou 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 Siskiyou Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 41.690° N, 123.686° W. Redwood National and State Parks is 11 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Siskiyou Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Srf 2026 Rx Implementation at 28 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Siskiyou Wilderness?
Redwood National and State Parks (11 mi) and Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve (14 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Siskiyou Wilderness?
The National Register has 11 listings within 15 miles, including Osgood Ditch and Cameron Mine.
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.