Turtle Canyon Wilderness
About one-third of the Turtle Canyon Wilderness supports pinyon-juniper woodland and nearly one-third of the area contains Douglas fir and mountain shrub. The remainder of this Wilderness is predominantly rock outcrop. Flat areas in the southern portion are limited to canyon floors, ledges, and narrow ridge tops. South of the cliffs, alternate layers of soft and resistant rocks form a landscape of benches and slopes cut by canyons 100 to 500 feet deep. The Wilderness has small populations of cougar, elk, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, and black bear. Peregrine falcons and bald eagles also frequent the area.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| State | Utah |
| Size | 29,029 acres |
| Designated | 2019, by Congress |
| Center point | 39.38° N, 110.21° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 22) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees
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
No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from trails and water, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit and group-size rules.
Fire nearby
- WildfireSlough Canyon
16 mi from the center point · 4,774 acres · 95% contained
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.
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Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Turtle Canyon Wilderness?
29,029 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Turtle Canyon Wilderness?
The Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Turtle Canyon Wilderness in?
Utah.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Turtle Canyon Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2019.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to Turtle Canyon Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 39.381° N, 110.213° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Turtle Canyon Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Slough Canyon at 16 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
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.