USFS · Arizona

Pine Mountain Wilderness

At 6,814 feet, Pine Mountain is the highest point on the Verde River Rim, which slashes across this area from northeast to southwest. On the mountain's southeastern side the unmistakable steep and rocky...

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

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Pine Mountain Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateArizona
Size20,053 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1972, by Congress
Center point34.2847, -111.8057
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 20)

Boundary map

1 outline

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

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Pine Mountain Wilderness40°50°60°70°80°90°January: 1.99 inches of precipitationFebruary: 2.29 inches of precipitationMarch: 1.93 inches of precipitationApril: 0.79 inches of precipitationMay: 0.52 inches of precipitationJune: 0.06 inches of precipitationJuly: 2.13 inches of precipitationAugust: 2.90 inches of precipitationSeptember: 1.43 inches of precipitationOctober: 1.14 inches of precipitationNovember: 1.10 inches of precipitationDecember: 1.79 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 47.0°F averageFebruary: 49.7°F averageMarch: 55.0°F averageApril: 60.9°F averageMay: 69.3°F averageJune: 78.9°F averageJuly: 84.5°F averageAugust: 83.6°F averageSeptember: 76.9°F averageOctober: 65.8°F averageNovember: 53.5°F averageDecember: 45.4°F average0 in1 in2 in3 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Childs, 8 miles from the center point at 2,650 feet, station USC00021614 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 18 inches a year. The station sits about 3,400 feet lower than the center point, so temperatures on the ground run cooler.

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 sits inside the boundary. 1 is within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

8 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 26 miles in all.

TrailMiles
Nelson8.7
Verde Rim6.1
Pine Flat3.4
Short Cut2
Double T1.9
Willow Springs1.5
Pine Mountain1.2
Buck Basin0.7

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

Within 50 miles · as of 2026-09-18
  • Prescribed
    D2 Vincent Rx

    49 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

National Register listings within 15 miles · 7 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Pine Mountain Wilderness?

20,053 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Pine Mountain Wilderness?

The U.S. Forest Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Pine Mountain Wilderness in?

Arizona.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Pine Mountain Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1972.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Pine Mountain Wilderness?

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Sycamore Cabin, 7.4 miles out. 1 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 Pine Mountain Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 34.285, -111.806. Montezuma Castle National Monument is 20 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Is there a fire near Pine Mountain Wilderness right now?

1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-18, the nearest D2 Vincent Rx at 49 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.

Source: Fire nearby

How dark is the night sky at Pine 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

Which national parks are near Pine Mountain Wilderness?

Montezuma Castle National Monument (20 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.

Source: Nearby on the other atlases

Are there historic places near Pine Mountain Wilderness?

7 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Copper Creek Guard Station and Sycamore Ranger 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.