BLM · USFS · Wilderness area · California

Ventana Wilderness

Legend relates that the unique notch at the summit of Ventana Double Cone (4,853 feet) was once connected by a rock bridge forming a window, or ventana in Spanish. First established as a Primitive area...

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

Wilderness236,726 acresBLM · USFSCADesignated 196911 campgrounds within 10 mi3 Forest Service sites
Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Ventana Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
2fires
active
Timber · 9 mi from the center · 25,435 acres
1 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationWilderness
Managed byBureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service
StateCalifornia
Size236,726 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1969, by Congress
Center point36.2059, -121.5515
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 13)

Boundary map

1 outline

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.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

5 federal campgrounds sit inside the boundary and 6 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

FS · Inside
Arroyo Seco
Reservable40 sites
FS · Inside
China Camp
Reservable10 sites
FS · Inside
Memorial Campground
Reservable8 sites
FS · Inside
Nacimiento Campground
First-come9 sites
FS · Inside
White Oaks Campground
Reservable8 sites
FS · 0.1 mi
Escondido Campground
Reservable9 sites
FS · 0.2 mi
Kirk Creek Campground
Reservable32 sites
FS · 0.3 mi
Arroyo Seco Group Campground
First-comeCA
Show 3 more

Trailheads and sites

Forest Service directory · 3

The Forest Service lists 3 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 3 campgrounds. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.

Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.

Fire nearby

Within 50 miles · as of 2026-09-17
  • Wildfire
    Timber

    9 mi from the center point · 25,435 acres · 44% contained

  • Wildfire
    Plaskett

    22 mi from the center point · 29,993 acres · 97% 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 Park System units within 30 miles · Park Atlas
National Park · 20 mi
Pinnacles National Park
National Register listings within 15 miles · 26 in all · Register Atlas

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

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Ventana Wilderness?

236,726 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Ventana Wilderness?

Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service share management. The Bureau of Land Management portion is the largest in the wilderness record.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Ventana Wilderness in?

California.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Ventana Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1969.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Ventana Wilderness?

5 federal campgrounds sit inside the boundary, including Arroyo Seco, China Camp and Memorial Campground. 11 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

Where are the trailheads in Ventana Wilderness?

The Forest Service lists 3 recreation sites here, including 3 campground campgrounds. Each one links to its Forest Service page.

Source: Trailheads and sites

How do I get to Ventana Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 36.206, -121.552. Pinnacles National Park is 20 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Is there a fire near Ventana Wilderness right now?

2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Timber at 9 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.

Source: Fire nearby

How dark is the night sky at Ventana Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 13 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Which national parks are near Ventana Wilderness?

Pinnacles National Park (20 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.

Source: Nearby on the other atlases

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.