Machesna Mountain Wilderness
From a low point of about 1,600 feet, this Wilderness climbs to the 4,063-foot summit of Machesna Mountain in the southwest section. This is a scenic area, with the scenery getting finer the higher you...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 18,278 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 35.2923, -120.2250 |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 20) |
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. 5 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
2 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 15 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Castle Crags ↗ | 10.9 | |
| American Canyon | 4.2 |
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.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Machesna Mountain Wilderness?
18,278 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Machesna Mountain 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 Machesna Mountain Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Machesna Mountain Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Machesna Mountain Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is American Canyon Campground, 1.2 miles out. 5 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 Machesna Mountain Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 35.292, -120.225. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How dark is the night sky at Machesna Mountain Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 20 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.
Source: NASA Black Marble
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.