Desolation Wilderness
The Desolation Wilderness, encompassing 63,475 acres of rugged alpine terrain, is a spectacular area of subalpine and alpine forests, jagged granitic peaks, and glacially formed valleys and lake basins....
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 64,041 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1969, by Congress |
| Center point | 38.9211, -120.1723 |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 22) |
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
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 54 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 3 moreHide
42 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trails
46 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 204 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific Crest Trail ↗ | 54.8 | |
| Pacific Crest Trail ↗ | 26.6 | |
| Rubicon ↗ | 21.1 | |
| Tahoe Yosemite Trail ↗ | 9.3 | |
| Rockbound ↗ | 8.5 | |
| McConnell Lake Loop ↗ | 7 | |
| Red Peak ↗ | 6.7 | |
| Floating Island Trail ↗ | 6.2 | |
| Lyons ↗ | 5.1 | |
| Highland ↗ | 4.5 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas, refreshed September 18, 2026. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- WildfireFloriston
34 mi from the center point · 640 acres · 8% 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
- 8.7 miFriday's Station ↗Stateline, NV
- 9.3 miGale, Lena N., Cabin ↗Zephyr Cove, NV
- 9.3 miChapel of the Transfiguration ↗Tahoe City, CA
- 10.2 miOutlet Gates and Gatekeeper's Cabin ↗Tahoe City, CA
- 10.2 miLake Tahoe Dam ↗Tahoe City, CA
- 10.5 miWatson Log Cabin ↗Tahoe City, CA
- 11.6 miTahoe (Shipwreck) ↗Glenbrook, NV
- 12 miLake Shore House ↗Glenbrook, NV
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Desolation Wilderness?
64,041 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Desolation Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Desolation Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Desolation Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1969.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Desolation Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Bayview Trailhead and Day-Use Area, 0.2 miles out. 54 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 Desolation Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 38.921, -120.172. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Desolation Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Floriston at 34 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Desolation Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 22 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Are there historic places near Desolation Wilderness?
10 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Friday's Station and Gale, Lena N., Cabin.
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.