California Wilderness Coalition: protecting our wild lands


Wilderness Profile

		Just three miles off of Interstate 80, Castle Peak Potential Wilderness is among the most scenic areas in the Tahoe National Forest. Home to extraordinary old-growth red fir forests and the little Truckee River, Castle Peak provides clean drinking water to residents of Nevada County.


	Wild places > Central Sierra: Regional Map

Central Sierra

Significant portions of the central Sierra Nevada still qualify for wilderness protection but have not yet been designated. In total, the region contains approximately 290,000 acres of potential wilderness. Even in the Eldorado National Forest, where a checkerboard pattern of clearcuts and private land has devastated much of the landscape, pristine wild places can still be found. These forests offer some of the most accessible recreation for Sacramento Valley and Bay Area residents, as they are just a few hours drive away. Unprotected wild places such as Caples Creek and Meiss Meadows are visited each year by thousands of Californians and are renown for their wildflowers and opportunities for solitude. The Desolation Wilderness is the most visited wilderness area in the United States; much of the surrounding lands also qualify to be designated as wilderness. Adding these adjacent and nearby areas would reduce impacts on the existing Desolation Wilderness and increase the variety of opportunities for hikers, backpackers, equestrians, anglers and hunters.

In the Stanislaus National Forest, much of the existing wilderness could be expanded to protect a greater diversity of the landscape. Much of the currently protected land represents the "rock and ice" of the Sierra Nevada. Protecting the surrounding potential wilderness additions will ensure the widely visited gateways to the Sierra Crest remain wild. Areas such as the Eagle potential addition to the Emigrant Wilderness are easily accessible from a busy highway, while still being buffered from the noise of the traffic by a large granite ridge. This allows visitors to walk into a secluded backcountry forest after only a short hike. The Night potential wilderness area is also an outstanding addition to the adjacent Emigrant Wilderness, for its steep granite mountainsides, avalanche chutes, high elevation forests, and picturesque scenery reflect classic wilderness values.

1212 Broadway, Suite 1700 Oakland, CA 94612 Phone (510) 451-1450 Fax (510) 451-1445 Email: info@calwild.org