Yosemite Wilderness
Established in 1890, Yosemite National Park ranks among the first in the National Park System. Surrounded entirely by national forest in the heart of the Sierra Nevada, fabulous granite faces, domes, and...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 704,624 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 37.8566, -119.5479 |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 21) |
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
4 federal campgrounds sit inside the boundary and 60 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
52 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trails
14 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 198 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| PCT - Pacific Crest Trail ↗ | 66.9 | |
| California Riding and Hiking ↗ | 49.4 | |
| Huckleberry Trail ↗ | 38.5 | |
| Alger Lakes ↗ | 10.1 | |
| Robinson Creek ↗ | 9 | |
| Lunch Meadow ↗ | 6.9 | |
| Post Peak ↗ | 4.9 | |
| Bloody Canyon ↗ | 4.8 | |
| Yosemite Border | 1.6 | |
| Black Bear Lake | 1.5 |
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.
Fire nearby
- WildfireDome
20 mi from the center point · 1,177 acres · 10% contained
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
- 0 miGlacier Point Trailside Museum ↗El Portal, CA
- 0 miGlen Aulin High Sierra Camp ↗Yosemite, CA
- 0 miGreat Sierra Mine Historic Site ↗Lee Vining, CA
- 0 miHalf Dome Cables and Trail ↗Yosemite, CA
- 0 miMcGurk Cabin ↗Yosemite Village, CA
- 0 miMerced Lake Ranger Station ↗Yosemite, CA
- 0 miOstrander Lake Ski Hut ↗Yosemite, CA
- 0 miSachse Spring Snow Survey Shelter ↗Yosemite, CA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Yosemite Wilderness?
704,624 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Yosemite Wilderness?
The National Park Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Yosemite Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Yosemite Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Yosemite Wilderness?
4 federal campgrounds sit inside the boundary, including Bridalveil Creek Horse Campsites, Tamarack Flat Campground and Tuolumne Horse Campsites. 64 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 Yosemite Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 37.857, -119.548. Yosemite National Park is adjacent. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Yosemite Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Dome at 20 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Yosemite Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 21 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 Yosemite Wilderness?
Yosemite National Park (adjacent) and Devils Postpile National Monument (11 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Yosemite Wilderness?
39 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Glacier Point Trailside Museum and Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp.
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.