DEFINITION OF WILDERNESS (Wilderness Act - 1964)
A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain. An area of wilderness is further defined to mean in this Act an area of undeveloped Federal land retaining its primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements or human habitation, which is protected and managed so as to preserve its natural conditions and which
(1) generally appears to have been affected primarily by the forces of nature, with the imprint of man's work substantially unnoticeable;
(2) has outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation;
(3) has at least five thousand acres of land or is of sufficient size as to make practicable its preservation and use in an unimpaired condition; and
(4) may also contain ecological, geological, or other features of scientific, educational, scenic, or historical value.

There are currently 14,967,957 Acres (14.96 MILLION Acres or 23,387.43 Sq. Miles) of Wilderness Areas in California that restrict mechanical access.

There are 149 Wilderness Areas in the State of California, that is more than any other state.
Airzona is second with 90 and Nevada is third with 70 Wilderness Areas as of 10-25-2020.

Listed below are the 194 Wilderness Areas in California.  They are listed in A to Y and have Hyperlinks to sites for more information on the areas listed....

Agua Tibia Wilderness Total Acres: 17,975 Year Designated: 1975 Agency: US Forest Service & Bureau of Land Management

Ansel Adams Wilderness Total Acres: 231,617 Year Designated: 1964 Agency: US Forest Service & National Park Service

Argus Range Wilderness Total Acres: 65,726 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Beauty Mountain Wilderness Total Acres: 15,628 Year Designated: 2009 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Big Maria Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 45,384 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness Total Acres: 14,645 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Bighorn Mountain Wilderness Total Acres: 38,599 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management & National Park Service

Black Mountain Wilderness Total Acres: 20,548 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Bright Star Wilderness Total Acres: 8,191 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Bristol Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 71,389 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Bucks Lake Wilderness · Total Acres: 23,578 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: US Forest Service

Cache Creek Wilderness Total Acres: 27,296 Year Designated: 2006 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Cadiz Dunes Wilderness Total Acres: 19,935 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Cahuilla Mountain Wilderness Total Acres: 5,575 Year Designated: 2009 Agency: US Forest Service

Caribou Wilderness Total Acres: 20,833 Year Designated: 1964 Agency: US Forest Service

Carrizo Gorge Wilderness Total Acres: 14,740 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Carson-Iceberg Wilderness Total Acres: 158,070 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: US Forest Service

Castle Crags Wilderness Total Acres: 10,609 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: US Forest Service

Cedar Roughs Wilderness Total Acres: 6,287 Year Designated: 2006 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Chanchelulla Wilderness Total Acres: 8,062 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: US Forest Service

Chemehuevi Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 85,864 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Chimney Peak Wilderness Total Acres: 13,140 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 99,548 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Chumash Wilderness Total Acres: 37,768 Year Designated: 1992 Agency: US Forest Service

Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness Total Acres: 39,167 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Clipper Mountain Wilderness Total Acres: 33,843 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Coso Range Wilderness Total Acres: 49,296 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Coyote Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 18,631 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Cucamonga Wilderness Total Acres: 13,007 Year Designated: 1964 Agency: US Forest Service

Darwin Falls Wilderness Total Acres: 8,189 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Dead Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 47,158 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Death Valley Wilderness Total Acres: 3,102,456 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: National Park Service *** – The Death Valley Wilderness is located on the California/Nevada border. Of the 3,102,456 total acres, 3,057,106 acres are located in California.

Desolation Wilderness Total Acres: 64,053 Year Designated: 1969 Agency: US Forest Service

Dick Smith Wilderness Total Acres: 71,275 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: US Forest Service

Dinkey Lakes Wilderness Total Acres: 30,863 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: US Forest Service

Domeland Wilderness Total Acres: 133,720 Year Designated: 1964 Agency: US Forest Service & Bureau of Land Management

El Paso Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 23,679 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Elkhorn Ridge Wilderness Total Acres: 11,001 Year Designated: 2011 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Emigrant Wilderness Total Acres: 112,723 Year Designated: 1975 Agency: US Forest Service

Farallon Wilderness Total Acres: 141 Year Designated: 1974 Agency: US Fish & Wildlife Service

Fish Creek Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 21,390 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Funeral Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 25,707 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Garcia Wilderness Total Acres: 13,948 Year Designated: 1992 Agency: US Forest Service

Golden Trout Wilderness Total Acres: 303,770 Year Designated: 1978 Agency: US Forest Service

Golden Valley Wilderness Total Acres: 36,536 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Granite Chief Wilderness Total Acres: 28,374 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: US Forest Service

Granite Mountain Wilderness Total Acres: 31,059 Year Designated: 2009 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Grass Valley Wilderness Total Acres: 30,186 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Hain Wilderness Total Acres: 15,985 Year Designated: 1976 Agency: National Park Service

Hauser Wilderness Total Acres: 6,919 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: US Forest Service

Havasu Wilderness Total Acres: 3,195 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: US Fish & Wildlife Service

Hollow Hills Wilderness Total Acres: 22,366 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Hoover Wilderness Total Acres: 128,221 Year Designated: 1964 Agency: US Forest Service

Ibex Wilderness Total Acres: 28,822 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Imperial Refuge Wilderness Total Acres: 15,056 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: US Fish & Wildlife Service *** – The Imperial Refuge Wilderness is located on the California/Arizona border. Of the 15,056 total acres, 5,836 acres are located in California.

Indian Pass Wilderness Total Acres: 32,419 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Inyo Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 199,208 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management & US Forest Service

Ishi Wilderness Total Acres: 42,045 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: Bureau of Land Management & US Forest Service

Jacumba Wilderness Total Acres: 31,358 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Jennie Lakes Wilderness Total Acres: 10,510 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: US Forest Service

John Krebs Wilderness Total Acres: 39,740 Year Designated: 2009 Agency: National Park Service

John Muir Wilderness Total Acres: 652,793 Year Designated: 1964 Agency: US Forest Service

Joshua Tree Wilderness Total Acres: 594,502 Year Designated: 1976 Agency: National Park Service

Kaiser Wilderness Total Acres: 21,986 Year Designated: 1976 Agency: US Forest Service

Kelso Dunes Wilderness Total Acres: 144,915 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Kiavah Wilderness Total Acres: 86,245 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management & US Forest Service

King Range Wilderness Total Acres: 42,695 Year Designated: 2006 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Kingston Range Wilderness Total Acres: 199,739 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Lassen Volcanic Wilderness Total Acres: 78,982 Year Designated: 1972 Agency: National Park Service

Lava Beds Wilderness Total Acres: 28,460 Year Designated: 1972 Agency: National Park Service

Little Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 28,052 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Little Picacho Wilderness Total Acres: 38,216 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Machesna Mountain Wilderness Total Acres: 18,274 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: Bureau of Land Management & US Forest Service

Magic Mountain Wilderness Total Acres: 11,938 Year Designated: 2009 Agency: US Forest Service

Malpais Mesa Wilderness Total Acres: 31,906 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Manly Peak Wilderness Total Acres: 12,897 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Marble Mountain Wilderness Total Acres: 225,114 Year Designated: 1964 Agency: US Forest Service

Matilija Wilderness Total Acres: 29,207 Year Designated: 1992 Agency: US Forest Service

Mecca Hills Wilderness Total Acres: 26,356 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Mesquite Wilderness Total Acres: 44,804 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Mojave Wilderness Total Acres: 695,200 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: National Park Service

Mokelumne Wilderness Total Acres: 104,050 Year Designated: 1964 Agency: US Forest Service

Monarch Wilderness Total Acres: 44,216 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: US Forest Service

Mount Lassic Wilderness Total Acres: 7,295 Year Designated: 2006 Agency: US Forest Service

Mt. Shasta Wilderness Total Acres: 36,981 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: US Forest Service

Newberry Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 26,102 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Nopah Range Wilderness Total Acres: 106,623 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

North Algodones Dunes Wilderness Total Acres: 25,895 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

North Fork Wilderness Total Acres: 8,158 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: US Forest Service

North Mesquite Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 28,955 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Old Woman Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 165,172 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Orocopia Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 51,289 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Otay Mountain Wilderness Total Acres: 16,893 Year Designated: 1999 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Owens Peak Wilderness Total Acres: 73,868 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Owens River Headwaters Wilderness Total Acres: 14,698 Year Designated: 2009 Agency: US Forest Service

Pahrump Valley Wilderness Total Acres: 73,726 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Palen/McCoy Wilderness Total Acres: 236,488 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Palo Verde Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 30,605 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Phillip Burton Wilderness Total Acres: 27,315 Year Designated: 1976 Agency: National Park Service

Picacho Peak Wilderness Total Acres: 8,860 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Pine Creek Wilderness Total Acres: 13,261 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: US Forest Service

Pinto Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 24,348 Year Designated: 2009 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Piper Mountain Wilderness Total Acres: 72,192 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Piute Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 48,080 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Pleasant View Ridge Wilderness Total Acres: 26,839 Year Designated: 2009 Agency: US Forest Service

Red Buttes Wilderness Total Acres: 20,133 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: US Forest Service *** – The Red Buttes Wilderness is located on the California/Oregon border. Of the 20,133 total acres, 16,356 acres are located in California.

Resting Spring Range Wilderness Total Acres: 76,312 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Rice Valley Wilderness Total Acres: 41,777 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Riverside Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 24,004 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Rocks and Islands Wilderness Total Acres: 6 (Ever Wonder why Tax Payers paid for a 6 Acre Wilderness?)  Year Designated: 2006 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Rodman Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 34,264 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Russian Wilderness Total Acres: 12,521 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: US Forest Service

Sacatar Trail Wilderness Total Acres: 50,451 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Saddle Peak Hills Wilderness Total Acres: 1,530 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

San Gabriel Wilderness Total Acres: 35,738 Year Designated: 1968 Agency: US Forest Service

San Gorgonio Wilderness Total Acres: 96,572 Year Designated: 1964 Agency: US Forest Service & Bureau of Land Management

San Jacinto Wilderness Total Acres: 32,186 Year Designated: 1964 Agency: US Forest Service

San Mateo Canyon Wilderness Total Acres: 39,413 Year Designated: <1984/li> Agency: US Forest Service

San Rafael Wilderness Total Acres: 191,104 Year Designated: 1968 Agency: US Forest Service

Sanhedrin Wilderness Total Acres: 10,650 Year Designated: 2006 Agency: US Forest Service

Santa Lucia Wilderness Total Acres: 20,242 Year Designated: 1978 Agency: Bureau of Land Management & US Forest Service

Santa Rosa Wilderness Total Acres: 78,576 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: US Forest Service & Bureau of Land Management

Sawtooth Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 33,772 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness Total Acres: 768,222 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: National Park Service

Sespe Wilderness Total Acres: 219,209 Year Designated: 1992 Agency: US Forest Service

Sheep Mountain Wilderness Total Acres: 43,182 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: US Forest Service

Sheephole Valley Wilderness Total Acres: 188,169 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Silver Peak Wilderness Total Acres: 31,533 Year Designated: 1992 Agency: US Forest Service

Siskiyou Wilderness Total Acres: 179,847 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: US Forest Service

Snow Mountain Wilderness Total Acres: 60,221 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: US Forest Service

South Fork Eel River Wilderness Total Acres: 12,868 Year Designated: 2006 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

South Fork San Jacinto Wilderness Total Acres: 20,158 Year Designated: 2009 Agency: US Forest Service

South Nopah Range Wilderness Total Acres: 17,059 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

South Sierra Wilderness Total Acres: 60,280 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: US Forest Service

South Warner Wilderness Total Acres: 70,192 Year Designated: 1964 Agency: US Forest Service

Stateline Wilderness Total Acres: 6,964 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Stepladder Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 83,195 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Surprise Canyon Wilderness Total Acres: 24,433 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Sylvania Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 18,682 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Thousand Lakes Wilderness Total Acres: 16,582 Year Designated: 1964 Agency: US Forest Service

Trilobite Wilderness Total Acres: 37,308 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Trinity Alps Wilderness Total Acres: 537,363 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: US Forest Service

Turtle Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 177,309 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Ventana Wilderness Total Acres: 236,726 Year Designated: 1969 Agency: US Forest Service & Bureau of Land Management

Whipple Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 76,123 Year Designated: 1994 Agency: Bureau of Land Management

White Mountains Wilderness Total Acres: 229,953 Year Designated: 2009 Agency: Bureau of Land Management & US Forest Service

Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness Total Acres: 182,299 Year Designated: 1964 Agency: US Forest Service & Bureau of Land Management

Yosemite Wilderness Total Acres: 704,624 Year Designated: 1984 Agency: National Park Servic

Yuki Wilderness Total Acres: 53,339 Year Designated: 2006 Agency: Bureau of Land Management & US Forest Service

14,967,957 Acres (14.96 MILLION Acres or 23,387.43 Sq. Miles)  194 Wilderness Areas

       "Happy Rockhounding and Enjoy Your Public Lands"

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