USFS · Wilderness area · Texas

Upland Island Wilderness

By 1930, loggers had chopped down almost all the pine with any commercial value, leaving behind a few small "islands" of immature trees and remnants of sawmill sites. A dense cover of second-growth pines...

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Upland Island Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateTexas
Size13,248 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1984, by Congress
Center point31.0816, -94.3584
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 11)

Boundary map

1 outline

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

Campsite Atlas →

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 4 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

Fire nearby

Within 50 miles · as of 2026-09-17
  • Prescribed
    Rx Polk 8325

    34 mi from the center point · 20 acres · 0% 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.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 3 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Upland Island Wilderness?

13,248 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Upland Island Wilderness?

The U.S. Forest Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Upland Island Wilderness in?

Texas.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Upland Island Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1984.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Upland Island Wilderness?

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Boykin Springs Camping, 2.6 miles out. 4 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 Upland Island Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 31.082, -94.358. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Is there a fire near Upland Island Wilderness right now?

1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Rx Polk 8325 at 34 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.

Source: Fire nearby

How dark is the night sky at Upland Island Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 11 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 Upland Island Wilderness?

3 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Gibbs--Flournoy House and Smyth, Andrew, House.

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.