South Warner Wilderness
In far north eastern California, you will find the Warner Mountains and the South Warner Wilderness, which stretches about 18 miles long and 8 miles wide. Elevations vary from 4,760 feet at the east boundary...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 70,206 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 41.3251, -120.2046 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 16) |
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.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 9 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 1 moreHide
Fire nearby
- PrescribedAdin Airport Rx
40 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
- 1.1 miJess Valley Schoolhouse ↗Likely, CA
- 14.6 miSacred Heart Catholic Church ↗Alturas, CA
- 14.7 miNco Railway Depot ↗Alturas, CA
- 14.9 mi
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is South Warner Wilderness?
70,206 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages South Warner Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is South Warner Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was South Warner Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at South Warner Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is East Creek Campground, 0 miles out. 9 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
How do I get to South Warner Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 41.325, -120.205. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near South Warner Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Adin Airport Rx at 40 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at South Warner Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 16 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Are there historic places near South Warner Wilderness?
4 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Jess Valley Schoolhouse and Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
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.