Hoover Wilderness
First established as a Primitive area in 1931, then a Wild area in 1957, the Hoover Wilderness was one of the original members of the NWPS. Here is an extremely rugged and magnificently scenic area in...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 128,044 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 38.1420, -119.4128 |
| 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. 27 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
15 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trails
38 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 169 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| PCT: Sonora Pass - Dorothy Lk ↗ | 18.6 | |
| West Walker River ↗ | 16.9 | |
| Buckeye Canyon ↗ | 12.9 | |
| PCT: Stanislaus ↗ | 12.9 | |
| Burt Canyon ↗ | 11.1 | |
| Green Creek ↗ | 10.5 | |
| Robinson Creek ↗ | 9 | |
| Molybdenite Creek ↗ | 6.8 | |
| High Emigrant Lake/Toiyabe ↗ | 6.6 | |
| Eagle Creek ↗ | 6.1 |
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
- WildfireDome
41 mi from the center point · 1,177 acres · 10% 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
- 0.2 miGreat Sierra Mine Historic Site ↗Lee Vining, CA
- 1.5 miTioga Pass Entrance Station ↗Lee Vining, CA
- 5.6 miSoda Springs Cabin ↗Lee Vining, CA
- 5.7 miMcCauley Cabin ↗Lee Vining, CA
- 6.2 miTuolumne Meadows ↗Lee Vining, CA
- 6.6 miGlen Aulin High Sierra Camp ↗Yosemite, CA
- 8.6 miMono County Courthouse ↗Bridgeport, CA
- 9 miBaker Highway Maintenance Station ↗Strawberry, CA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Hoover Wilderness?
128,044 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Hoover Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Hoover Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Hoover Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Hoover Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Junction Campground, 0 miles out. 27 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 Hoover Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 38.142, -119.413. Yosemite National Park is 15 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Hoover Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Dome at 41 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Hoover 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
Which national parks are near Hoover Wilderness?
Yosemite National Park (15 mi) and Devils Postpile National Monument (22 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Hoover Wilderness?
13 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Great Sierra Mine Historic Site and Tioga Pass Entrance Station.
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.