San Rafael Wilderness
After the initial preservation of land under the Wilderness Act of 1964, the original San Rafael Wilderness (1968) was the first Primitive area added to the NWPS's roster. Here in the chaparral-covered...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 191,104 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1968, by Congress |
| Center point | 34.8128, -119.8656 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 19) |
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. 9 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
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Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 backpacking. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 5 mi
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
20 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 195 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Sisquoc ↗ | 32.7 | |
| Horse Canyon la Brea ↗ | 28.6 | |
| Manzana ↗ | 22.9 | |
| Santa Cruz ↗ | 18.9 | |
| Lost Valley ↗ | 18.3 | |
| Hurricane Deck ↗ | 14.6 | |
| Mission Pine ↗ | 14.6 | |
| Kerry Canyon OHV ↗ | 8.3 | |
| Sweetwater ↗ | 6.8 | |
| Roque Canyon ↗ | 5.8 |
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
- 14.9 miMission Santa Ines, Church ↗National Historic Landmark
- 2.2 miMadulce Guard Station and Site ↗Santa Barbara, CA
- 11.1 miRattlesnake Canyon Bridge ↗Santa Barbara, CA
- 12.6 miHope, Thomas, House ↗Santa Barbara, CA
- 12.8 miVal Verde ↗Santa Barbara, CA
- 13.3 miSexton, Joseph and Lucy Foster, House ↗Santa Barbara, CA
- 13.3 miUs Post Office--Santa Barbara Main ↗Santa Barbara, CA
- 13.3 miHill-Carrillo Adobe ↗Santa Barbara, CA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is San Rafael Wilderness?
191,104 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages San Rafael Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is San Rafael Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was San Rafael Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1968.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at San Rafael Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Nira Campground, 0 miles out. 9 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 Rafael Wilderness?
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site here, including 1 backpacking. Each one links to its Forest Service page.
Source: Trailheads and sites
How do I get to San Rafael Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 34.813, -119.866. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How dark is the night sky at San Rafael Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 19 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Are there historic places near San Rafael Wilderness?
22 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Mission Santa Ines, Church and Madulce Guard Station and Site.
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.