BLM · Arizona

White Canyon Wilderness

Intricately carved and scenically splendid White Canyon runs north-south through the middle of this Wilderness. Narrow in places, this canyon's walls rise as much as 800 feet above the bottom. Throughout you'll find delicate, eroded formations and numerous side canyons. Sand, slickrock, and sporatic willows cover the canyon's bottom. The Rincon, an enormous, amphitheater-like escarpment, stands near the southern boundary. Set in the rugged southeast portion of the Mineral Mountains, this Wilderness features a variety of vegetation from saguaro cacti to chaparral. Wildlife includes a myriad of birds. Black bears and mountain lions are permanent residents.

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
White Canyon Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byBureau of Land Management
StateArizona
Size5,800 acres
Designated1990, by Congress
Center point33.17° N, 111.10° W
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 26)

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.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near White Canyon Wilderness50°60°70°80°90°January: 2.23 inches of precipitationFebruary: 2.21 inches of precipitationMarch: 1.87 inches of precipitationApril: 0.49 inches of precipitationMay: 0.49 inches of precipitationJune: 0.29 inches of precipitationJuly: 2.03 inches of precipitationAugust: 2.56 inches of precipitationSeptember: 1.25 inches of precipitationOctober: 1.14 inches of precipitationNovember: 1.12 inches of precipitationDecember: 2.12 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 53.1°F averageFebruary: 55.5°F averageMarch: 60.4°F averageApril: 66.6°F averageMay: 75.4°F averageJune: 85.1°F averageJuly: 88.0°F averageAugust: 86.8°F averageSeptember: 82.7°F averageOctober: 73.5°F averageNovember: 62.3°F averageDecember: 53.0°F average0 in1 in2 in3 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Superior, 9 miles from the center point at 2,860 feet, station USC00028348 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 18 inches a year.

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

Campsite Atlas →

None of the 1 federal campground within ten miles sits inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 10 in all · Register Atlas

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

Guidebooks for Arizona

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is White Canyon Wilderness?

5,800 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages White Canyon Wilderness?

The Bureau of Land Management.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is White Canyon Wilderness in?

Arizona.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was White Canyon Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1990.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at White Canyon 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 White Canyon Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 33.171° N, 111.098° W. Casa Grande Ruins National Monument is 25 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Which national parks are near White Canyon Wilderness?

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (25 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.

Source: Nearby on the other atlases

Are there historic places near White Canyon Wilderness?

The National Register has 10 listings within 15 miles, including Butte-Cochran Charcoal Ovens and Mineral Creek Bridge.

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.