San Jacinto Wilderness
Unique among designated areas, San Jacinto Wilderness, managed by the USFS, lies split in half by the Mount San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness, which is managed by the California Department of Parks...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 32,186 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 33.8576, -116.6716 |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 27) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
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.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 2 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 1 interpretive site, 1 trailhead. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 6 miHumber Park Trailhead Parking ↗Trailhead
- 7 miTahquitz Peak Fire Lookout ↗Interpretive site · 11/20/2022
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
23 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 71 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| PCT Section 25 ↗ | 15.7 | |
| PCT Section 32 ↗ | 5.7 | |
| PCT Section 27 ↗ | 5.2 | |
| Spitler Peak ↗ | 4.8 | |
| Caramba | 4.3 | |
| Lower South Ridge | 4.2 | |
| South Ridge | 4.1 | |
| PCT Section 33 ↗ | 3.6 | |
| PCT Section 34 ↗ | 2.7 | |
| Devil'S Slide | 2.5 |
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.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 12.3 miEstudillo Mansion ↗National Historic Landmark
- 1.3 miPalm Springs Aerial Tramway Mountain Station ↗Idyllwild, CA
- 2.3 miDonaldson Futuro ↗Idyllwild, CA
- 2.6 miPearlman Mountain Cabin ↗Idyllwild, CA
- 3.1 miEdris House ↗Palm Springs, CA
- 3.2 miAlexander, Dr. Franz, House ↗Palm Springs, CA
- 3.3 miHamrick House ↗Palm Springs, CA
- 3.3 miTramway Gas Station ↗Palm Springs, CA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is San Jacinto Wilderness?
32,186 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages San Jacinto Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is San Jacinto Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was San Jacinto Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at San Jacinto Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Black Mountain (San Bernardino), 0.2 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
Where are the trailheads in San Jacinto Wilderness?
The Forest Service lists 2 recreation sites here, including 1 interpretive areas and 1 trailhead. Each one links to its Forest Service page.
Source: Trailheads and sites
How do I get to San Jacinto Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 33.858, -116.672. Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail is 26 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How dark is the night sky at San Jacinto Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 27 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 San Jacinto Wilderness?
Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail (26 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near San Jacinto Wilderness?
35 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Estudillo Mansion and Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Mountain 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.