South Warner Wilderness
In far northeastern 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 between Owl and Hornback Creeks in Surprise Valley, to 9,892 feet on Eagle Peak, a conspicuous landmark near the center of the area. Gently rolling topography on the western side, is highlighted by mountain meadows and clear streams, forested with mixed pines, firs, and aspen. The eastern side, however, rises abruptly to rugged country dominated by ragged peaks where vegetation is sparse. Wildflowers bloom in abundance. Severe storms have been known to roll in every month of the year.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 70,206 acres |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 41.33° N, 120.20° W |
| 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.
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.
Trails
15 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 84 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Summit Trail ↗ | 22.7 | |
| Owl Creek Trail ↗ | 17.9 | |
| Poison Flat Trail ↗ | 5.9 | |
| East Creek Trail ↗ | 5.6 | |
| Pine Creek Trail ↗ | 4.8 | |
| North Emerson Trail | 4.4 | |
| Mill Creek North | 4.1 | |
| Mill Creek South | 4 | |
| Slide Creek Trail | 4 | |
| South Emerson Trail | 3.4 |
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.
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.
Guidebooks for California
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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 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?
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 South Warner Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 41.325° N, 120.205° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Are there historic places near South Warner Wilderness?
The National Register has 4 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.
- 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.