BLM · California

Picacho Peak Wilderness

Dark gray, massive mountains extending southeast from Indian Pass make up the central and western portions of the diminutive Picacho Peak Wilderness. Mica Peak stands near the center of this range, the...

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Picacho Peak Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byBureau of Land Management
StateCalifornia
Size8,860 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1994, by Congress
Center point33.0124, -114.7285
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 29)

Boundary map

1 outline

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees

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

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Picacho Peak Wilderness50°60°70°80°90°100°January: 0.41 inches of precipitationFebruary: 0.32 inches of precipitationMarch: 0.35 inches of precipitationApril: 0.13 inches of precipitationMay: 0.07 inches of precipitationJune: 0.01 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.31 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.25 inches of precipitationSeptember: 0.11 inches of precipitationOctober: 0.22 inches of precipitationNovember: 0.25 inches of precipitationDecember: 0.76 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 57.9°F averageFebruary: 60.8°F averageMarch: 66.9°F averageApril: 72.4°F averageMay: 79.4°F averageJune: 87.7°F averageJuly: 92.4°F averageAugust: 93.3°F averageSeptember: 86.4°F averageOctober: 75.9°F averageNovember: 64.6°F averageDecember: 56.2°F average0 in0.5 in1 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Yuma Quartermaster Depot, 21 miles from the center point at 160 feet, station USC00029656 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 3 inches a year.

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

Campsite Atlas →

No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from trails and water, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit and group-size rules.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Picacho Peak Wilderness?

8,860 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Picacho Peak Wilderness?

The Bureau of Land Management.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Picacho Peak Wilderness in?

California.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Picacho Peak Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1994.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Picacho Peak Wilderness?

No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How do I get to Picacho Peak Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 33.012, -114.728. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How dark is the night sky at Picacho Peak Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 29 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.
  • 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.