Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness
Located between the North and South Yolla Bolly Mountains in the as-rugged-as-it-comes headwater country of the Wild and Scenic Middle Fork of the Eel River, Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness ranges in elevation from about 2,000 feet to 8,000 feet. The river crashes wildly through the Wilderness in a deep canyon for approximately six miles, and, combined with sections of the 48 miles of river outside the Wilderness, forms what is arguably California's finest long white-water run. Chamise and manzanita in the lower elevations give way to dense arrays of pine and fir cloaking numerous ridges. Vast grasslands open many of the steep hillsides. Summer wildflowers dramatically color large mountain meadows.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 182,298 acres |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 40.05° N, 123.03° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 13) |
Boundary map
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.
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 6 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.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 trailhead. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 11 miBlands Cove Trailhead ↗Trailhead
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
66 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 298 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Summit ↗ | 17 | |
| Humboldt ↗ | 14.5 | |
| Willow Creek ↗ | 13 | |
| Chicago Camp ↗ | 12.8 | |
| River ↗ | 11.3 | |
| South Fork Cottonwood Creek ↗ | 11.2 | |
| Ides Cove Loop ↗ | 10.7 | |
| Cottonwood ↗ | 10.6 | |
| Hell Hole Canyon ↗ | 10.4 | |
| Buck Ridge ↗ | 9.3 |
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.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedAlder Springs Underburn Rx
32 mi from the center point
- PrescribedLower Gas Point Vmp Rx
36 mi from the center point · 254 acres
- PrescribedHayfork Watershed Rx
36 mi from the center point
- PrescribedFive-6 Understory Rx
49 mi from the center point
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
- 9.6 miRound Valley Flour Mills ↗Covelo, CA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for California
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 Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness?
182,298 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel 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 Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel 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 Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 40.053° N, 123.027° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Alder Springs Underburn Rx at 32 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness?
The National Register has 1 listing within 15 miles, including Round Valley Flour Mills.
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.