Yosemite Wilderness
Established in 1890, Yosemite National Park ranks among the first in the National Park System. 94 percent of Yosemite has been designated Wilderness, most of the land falling in the higher country outside Yosemite Valley. Yosemite's landmarks have become synonymous with outdoor splendor: El Capitan, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Fall, Tuolumne Meadows. Surrounded entirely by national forest in the heart of the Sierra Nevada, fabulous granite faces, domes, and peaks stand above expansive meadows that sprout a lustrous green in summer and are buried in soft, white snow during winter.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 704,624 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 37.86° N, 119.55° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 21) |
Boundary map
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
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
4 federal campgrounds sit inside the boundary and 59 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
51 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trails
14 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 198 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| PCT - Pacific Crest Trail ↗ | 66.9 | |
| California Riding and Hiking ↗ | 49.4 | |
| Huckleberry Trail ↗ | 38.5 | |
| Alger Lakes ↗ | 10.1 | |
| Robinson Creek ↗ | 9 | |
| Lunch Meadow ↗ | 6.9 | |
| Post Peak ↗ | 4.9 | |
| Bloody Canyon ↗ | 4.8 | |
| Yosemite Border | 1.6 | |
| Black Bear Lake | 1.5 |
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
- PrescribedD54 Rx Pile Burning
25 mi from the center point
- PrescribedCrooks Rx
34 mi from the center point · 15 acres
- PrescribedD51 Rx Pile Burning
46 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
- under 0.1 miGlacier Point Trailside Museum ↗El Portal, CA
- under 0.1 miGlen Aulin High Sierra Camp ↗Yosemite, CA
- under 0.1 miGreat Sierra Mine Historic Site ↗Lee Vining, CA
- under 0.1 miHalf Dome Cables and Trail ↗Yosemite, CA
- under 0.1 miMcGurk Cabin ↗Yosemite Village, CA
- under 0.1 miMerced Lake Ranger Station ↗Yosemite, CA
- under 0.1 miOstrander Lake Ski Hut ↗Yosemite, CA
- under 0.1 miSachse Spring Snow Survey Shelter ↗Yosemite, 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 Yosemite Wilderness?
704,624 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Yosemite Wilderness?
The National Park Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Yosemite Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Yosemite Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Yosemite 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 Yosemite Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 37.857° N, 119.548° W. Yosemite National Park is adjacent. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Yosemite Wilderness right now?
3 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest D54 Rx Pile Burning at 25 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Yosemite Wilderness?
Yosemite National Park (adjacent) and Devils Postpile National Monument (11 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Yosemite Wilderness?
The National Register has 39 listings within 15 miles, including Glacier Point Trailside Museum and Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp.
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.