Learn About Important Roadless Areas By California Region!
Find locations, activities, ecological and cultural values in highly popular inventoried roadless areas across CA.
What’s an Inventoried Roadless Area?
Adopted in 2001, the “Roadless Rule” protects nearly 60 million acres of national forest land across the country from most road construction, timber harvesting, and development. In California, the Roadless Rule safeguards around 4 million acres of wild, roadless landscapes—from the Inyo to the Klamath, from the Los Padres to the Sierra. The Roadless Rule formally identified “Inventoried Roadless Areas” without roads and manages them to preserve their undeveloped characteristics and critical functions like water security.
Inventoried Roadless Areas areas protect the hearts of national forests across the state of California. These are forests where people enjoy hiking, camping, fishing, mountain biking, walking dogs, botanizing, skiing, and so many other activities, and Roadless Areas keep them healthy. Look for your favorite forests in the list below, also shown on this map (right). And you can review this map to find other specific areas near you.
Southern California National Forest Roadless Areas
Angeles National Forest: Fish Canyon Inventoried Roadless Area
Location: Los Angeles County
Activities: Hiking, backpacking, camping, hunting, equestrian use. A short segment of the Pacific Crest Trail is located in the Inventoried Roadless Area..
Ecological/Cultural Values:
- Fish and Castaic Canyons were identified by the USFS as an area of high ecological significance due to its native aquatic species and because Liebre/Sawmill Mountain on its northern perimeter supports one of the largest stands of black oak in southern California.
- Suitable habitat for arroyo toad, least Bell’s vireo, Southwestern willow flycatcher, unarmored three-spined stickleback, California condor.
- Redrock Mountain and Fish Canyon are two prominent scenic features of the Inventoried Roadless Area.
- One of the largest remaining undeveloped areas in the Angeles Forest, the USFS has recommended this area for wilderness protection.
- Rich in prehistoric and historic sites.
- Culturally sensitive plants, including plants gathered for traditional Native American purposes.
- Important biological bridge between the San Gabriel Mountains, Mojave Desert, Tehachapi Mountains and the southern Coast Range.
Fish Canyon Creek in the Fish Canyon Inventoried Roadless Area by Steve Evans.
Angeles National Forest: Sheep Mountain Addition Inventoried Roadless Area
Location: Los Angeles County
Activities: Hiking, backpacking, angling, hunting, gold panning
Ecological/Cultural Values:
- The East Fork San Gabriel River corridor in the Inventoried Roadless Area was identified by the USFS as an area of high ecological significance because it is imperiled refugia for native fish species, wild trout, and native frogs.
- The East Fork provides the best habitat and population of the three remaining populations of threatened Santa Ana sucker in southern California, also suitable habitat for other native fish such as speckled dace and arroyo chub.
- Critical habitat for endangered mountain yellow-legged frog and suitable habitat for least Bell’s vireo, Southwestern willow flycatcher, and Nelson’s bighorn sheep.
- Diverse scenic values range from majestic peaks, large meadows, and rugged river canyons.
- Wilderness recreation along the East Fork San Gabriel River is unique to southern California.
- Flowing through the Inventoried Roadless Area, the East Fork is a designated state wild trout water and was identified by the Forest Service as eligible for National Wild and Scenic River protection due to the river’s outstanding scenery, wilderness recreation, and fish and wildlife values.
- The Inventoried Roadless Area is rich in gold mining history, including the historic Eldoradoville gold camp.
- The Inventoried Roadless Area is proposed as an addition to the Sheep Mountain Wilderness and the East Fork as a Wild and Scenic River in Rep. Chu’s San Gabriel Mountains, Foothills, and Rivers Protection Act.
Hikers fording the East Fork San Gabriel River in the Sheep Mountain Inventoried Roadless Area by Dianne Erskine-Hellrigel.
Cleveland National Forest: Trabuco-Hot Springs Inventoried Roadless Area
Location: Riverside County
Activities: Hiking, backpacking, mountain biking
Ecological/Cultural Values:
- Within the Inventoried Roadless Area, the Chiquito Basin Special Interest Area supports a rare undisturbed deergrass meadow, two rare plants (San Miguel savory, Fish’s milkwort), and large stands of coast live oak riparian forest, chaparral, and scrub.
- The Trabuco Canyon corridor has distinctive scenic attractiveness and it’s home to one of the largest alder groves in Orange County with specimen bigleaf maple, California bay, and madrone.
- Popular trails accessing the Inventoried Roadless Area include the San Juan, Chiquito, Holy Jim, and Horsethief (Trabuco Canyon) Trails. A popular day trip off of Hwy 74 is the short scramble to Ortega Falls in the Inventoried Roadless Area.
- Trabuco Canyon is dotted with historic sites from the Mission era.
- San Juan Creek, which along with the Ortega Highway (Hwy 74) defines the southern boundary of the Inventoried Roadless Area, supports endangered arroyo toad and species of concern such as coast range news and orange-throated whiptails. Historically, the endangered southern steelhead spawned in San Juan Creek. The creek also supports a large population of the rare sticky dudleya.
Ortega Falls, Photo by Orange
Cleveland National Forest: Eagle Peak Complex Inventoried Roadless Areas
Location: San Diego County
Activities: Hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, horseback riding, hunting
Ecological/Cultural Values:
- The Eagle Peak Complex encompasses five roadless areas adjacent to each other, including Upper San Diego River, Eagle Peak, Cedar Creek, No Name, and Sill Hill. All five were recommended for wilderness protection by the USFS in 2012
- The IRAs represent some of the best remaining low elevation habitat in southern California, supporting high quality riparian and Engelmann oak woodlands, coastal sage scrub, and grasslands.
- The diverse habitats support numerous at-risk species, including arroyo toad, southwestern pond turtle, coastal rosy boa, and coast horned lizard.
- The areas are best known for their scenic waterfalls, including Cedar Creek, Three Sisters, and seasonal unnamed falls in the San Diego River canyon.
- The areas offer outstanding opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and hunting. The hike to Cedar Creek Falls is so popular, visitors must obtain a use permit to visit the area. The areas host one of the four most popular rock climbing sites in San Diego County.
San Diego River Canyon
Los Padres National Forest: Sespe-Frazier Inventoried Roadless Area
Location: Kern County and Santa Barbara County
Activities: Hiking, backpacking, wildlife observation, and cultural heritage visits
Ecological and Cultural Values:
- Ancestral lands and traditional territories of the Chumash people. There are multiple Chumash tribes which consider the area (especially Pine Mountain and Reyes Peak) vital for gathering medicine, engaging in ceremony and prayer, and uplifting and protecting the plants and animals that call the area their home.
- The Sespe Creek corridor was identified by the USFS as an area of high ecological significance due to its high quality riparian habitat and at-risk aquatic and native songbird species.
- The Roadless Area provides designated critical habitat for the endangered southern steelhead, arroyo toad, California red-legged frog, and California condor.
- Much of the Inventoried Roadless Area was protected in 1992 as the Sespe Wilderness. Most of the remaining roadless lands are proposed additions to the wilderness in Rep. Salud Carbajal’s Central Coast Heritage Protection Act.
- The Inventoried Roadless Area supports numerous rare plants, including:
Acanthoscyphus parishii var. abramsii (Abram’s oxytheca) (CNPS rare plant rank 1B.2)
Calochortus palmeri var. palmeri (Palmer’s mariposa lily) (CNPS rare plant rank 1B.2)
Layia heterotricha (pale yellow layia) (CNPS rare plant rank 1B.1)
Sespe Creek in the Sespe-Frazier Inventoried Roadless Area by Steve Evans
Los Padres National Forest: Madulce-Buckhorn Inventoried Roadless Area
Location: Santa Barbara County
Activities: Hiking, backpacking, angling, hunting
Ecological/Cultural Values:
- Mono and Indian Creeks, which flow through the roadless area, were identified by the USFS as areas of high ecological significance due to their high quality riparian habitat and at-risk aquatic and native songbird species.
- Critical habitat for arroyo toad, California red-legged frog, least Bell’s vireo, and southwest willow flycatcher.
- Significant Chumash rock art site indicates this area is important to Native Americans.
- Proposed as addition to the San Rafael and Dick Smith Wilderness areas, and Indian and Mono Creeks as a National Wild and Scenic Rivers, in Rep. Salud Carbajal’s Central Coast Heritage Protection Act.
San Bernardino National Forest: Cucamonga Addition Inventoried Roadless Area
Location: San Bernardino County
Activities: Hiking, backpacking, angling, swimming, wildlife viewing.
Ecological/Cultural Values:
- The Middle Fork Lytle Creek, which flows through the Inventoried Roadless Area, supports a rare self-sustaining wild trout fishery and numerous sensitive species, including yellow warbler, Nelson’s bighorn sheep, San Gabriel Mountains slender salamander and southwest willow flycatcher.
- The Middle Fork Lytle Creek was determined eligible by the USFS for National Wild and Scenic River protection due to its outstanding fish value.
- The entire area possesses high and very high scenic quality with its steep highly dissected canyons, steep slopes, and narrow ridges.
- Hikers and other visitors access the area via the popular Middle Fork Lytle Creek Trail.
The Middle Fork Lytle Creek flows out of the Cucamonga Wilderness and the Cucamonga Inventoried Roadless Area by Steve Evans.
San Bernardino National Forest: Deep Creek Inventoried Roadless Area
Location: San Bernardino County
Activities: Hiking, backpacking, angling, hunting, hot springs soaking.
Ecological/Cultural Values:
- Deep Creek was identified as an area of high ecological significance by the USFS and is considered a critical habitat linkage between the San Bernardino Mountains and the Mojave Desert. The area supports a nationally significant population of endangered arroyo toad and active nesting sites for threatened southwestern willow flycatcher and California spotted owl.
- Deep Creek is state designated wild trout water because it supports self-sustaining populations of rainbow and brown trout, and other native fish, including tui chub and arroyo chub.
- Deep and Holcomb Creeks support the greatest diversity of vegetation of any drainage on the Forest. Holcomb Creek is home to three rare plants and offers suitable habitat for several other rare plants.
- Deep Creek and its tributary, Holcomb Creek, were designated National Wild and Scenic Rivers by Congress in 2019 due to their outstanding scenery, recreation, geologic, fish, wildlife, botany, and geology values.
- The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail bisects the Inventoried Roadless Area in its route along Deep and Holcomb Creeks. Deep Creek Hot Springs is a popular hiking/backpacking destination.
Flyfishing for wild trout along Deep Creek in the Deep Creek Inventoried Roadless Area by Steve Evans
San Bernardino National Forest: San Jacinto Addition (Pyramid Peak Inventoried Roadless Area)
Location: Riverside County
Activities: Hiking, backpacking, camping, wildlife viewing
Ecological/Cultural Values:
- Identified by the USFS as an area of high ecological significance because it provides important habitat for the endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep and its several palm oases and springs.
- In 2005, the USFS recommended that this area be added to the existing San Jacinto Wilderness.
- Flowing through the Inventoried Roadless Area, Palm Canyon Creek was designated by Congress in 2009 as a National Wild and Scenic River due to its outstanding scenery, cultural, and botany values.
- Collectively, the palm oases in the area represent the largest fan palm oasis in the United States.
- The area is rich in the native history of the Cahuilla Tribe and tribal members continue to use the area to collect traditional food and medicine plants.
- Regionally spectacular scenery with deep rugged canyons, thick riparian vegetation, and fan palm oases.
- The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail skirts the western boundary of the Inventoried Roadless Area.
Palm Canyon, Steve Evans
Sierra Nevada-Cascades National Forest Roadless Areas
El Dorado National Forest: Caples Creek Inventoried Roadless Area
Location: North of Highway 88 and south of Highway 50
Activities: Hiking, backpacking, trout fishing, hunting, camping, birdwatching, and exploring granite domes and alpine meadows and lakes.
Ecological/Cultural Values:
- Old-growth Jeffrey pine, red fir, lodgepole pine, and aspen stands
- Habitat for spotted owl, goshawk, golden eagle, marten, and rare plants like Kellogg’s lewisia. Caples Creek is a state designated Wild Trout Water.
- Clean headwater streams feeding 100k+ downstream residents, Caples Creek and Silver Fork American River flowing through the Inventoried Roadless Area are eligible for National Wild and Scenic River protection due to their outstanding recreation and scenery values.
Looking across the Caples Creek Inventoried Roadless Area at the Crystal Range by Steve Evans
El Dorado National Forest: Upper Truckee/Dardanelles Inventoried Roadless Area
Location: Near Truckee
Activities: Hiking, backpacking, fishing, camping, and exploring alpine meadows and lakes and volcanic and granite peaks
Ecological/Cultural Values:
- Largest watershed feeding Lake Tahoe, one of the clearest and most iconic mountain lakes in the U.S.
- Habitat for sensitive and rare alpine plants, including cushion plants unique to high elevations
- Supports diverse wildlife, including mule deer, black bear, numerous bird species, threatened Lahontan cutthroat trout
- Intact forests and meadows that help regulate water quality and reduce erosion into Lake Tahoe.
- Pacific Crest Trail, Tahoe Rim Trail, and other routes provide great access.
Somewhere in the Upper Truckee/Dardanelles Inventoried Roadless Area by Steve Evans
El Dorado National Forest: Pyramid Inventoried Roadless Area
Location: Near South Lake Tahoe/Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Activities: Hiking, backpacking, skiing/snowshoeing, mountain biking
Ecological/Cultural Values:
- The Pyramid Inventoried Roadless Area surrounds the Desolation Wilderness, one of the most visited wilderness areas in the US due to its proximity to Lake Tahoe.
- More than 12 trailheads are located on the boundary of the Pyramid Inventoried Roadless Area, leading to popular foot routes through the Inventoried Roadless Area into the Desolation Wilderness, including the Glen Alpine, Eagle Falls, Mt. Tallac, Meeks Bay, Lake Aloha, Pyramid Creek/Twin Bridges, Lyons, Twin Lakes, Loon Lake, and Van Vleck Trails.
- The Inventoried Roadless Area includes popular day use destinations, such as Horsetail Falls and Lyons, Eagle and Glen Alpine Creeks.
- Pyramid Creek, Glen Alpine Creek, and Eagle Creek are the streams flowing from the Desolation Wilderness and through the Inventoried Roadless Area were identified as eligible for National Wild and Scenic Rivers protection by the Forest Service due to their outstanding scenery, recreation, geology, and hydrology values.
- The Inventoried Roadless Area includes the Wright’s Lake Botanical Special interest Area which encompasses an uncommon plant association associated with alpine bogs.
Horsetail Falls, Pyramid Inventoried Roadless Area by Steve Evans
Inyo National Forest: Glass Mountain Inventoried Roadless Area
Location: Inyo National Forest, Mono County
Activities: Hiking, backpacking, skiing/snowshoeing, exploring volcanic landscapes, and observing unique geological formations
Ecological Values:
- Unique volcanic ridge that supports specific alpine plants such as cushion plants and alpine wildflowers supported by the volcanic soils
- The rugged terrain offers shelter and breeding grounds for species such as Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep, pika, marmots, mountain lions, and a variety of bird species including raptors like golden eagles and peregrine falcons.
- One of the few surface streams in the roadless area, O’Harrel Canyon Creek supports threatened Lahontan cutthroat trout.
- Due to its volcanic geology, elevation gradient, and isolation, the Glass Mountain Inventoried Roadless Area supports a diverse range of ecosystems from dry sagebrush scrub at lower elevations to subalpine forests and alpine meadows near the ridge.
Glass Mountain in the Glass Mountain Inventoried Roadless Area by Steve Evans
Lassen National Forest: Mill Creek Inventoried Roadless Area
Location: Tehama County
Activities: Hiking, backpacking, camping, angling, hunting, whitewater boating
Ecological/Cultural Values:
- Supports large old growth forest, California spotted owl and other old growth dependent species.
- Supports one of the few wild runs of threatened spring chinook salmon and winter steelhead flowing into the Central Valley.
- Homeland of the Yahi Indians and the story of Ishi.
- Important migration corridor for the Tehama black tailed deer herd
- The Mill Creek Inventoried Roadless Area is recommended for wilderness protection by the USFS.
- The USFS recommended wilderness protection for the Mill Creek Inventoried Roadless Area and National Wild and Scenic River protection for Mill Creek.
Black Rock, a volcanic formation on the edge of the Mill Creek Inventoried Roadless Area by Steve Evans.
Sierra & Sequoia National Forests: Kings Rivers Inventoried Roadless Area
Location: Fresno County
Activities: Hiking, backpacking, angling, whitewater boating, hunting, camping.
Ecological/Cultural Values:
- Provides the opportunity for the migration of species in reaction to climate change from 1,000 feet elevation to more than 14,000 feet elevation.
- Congress designated the Kings National Wild and Scenic River in 1986 due to its outstanding scenery, recreation, fish, history/culture, and geology. The river and its tributaries are the primary features of the Kings Inventoried Roadless Area.
- The Kings River is a popular class III-IV whitewater boating destination.
- The Kings River National Recreation Trail provides access to the Inventoried Roadless Area for hiking, backpacking, fishing, and hunting.
- The Kings River is also a state designated Wild Trout Water.
- The mid-elevations of the Inventoried Roadless Area support giant Sequoia groves.
Hiking near the Kings River, Steve Evans
Tahoe National Forest: North Fork American Inventoried Roadless Area
Location: Lake Tahoe Region
Activities: Whitewater boating (Class IV-V), hiking, backpacking, fishing, hunting, gold panning, and scenic viewing
Ecological/Cultural Values:
- Designated Wild & Scenic River, habitat for California spotted owl, golden eagle, and native trout, critical habitat for endangered Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog and foothill yellow-legged frog
- Several petroglyph sites document the importance of this Inventoried Roadless Area to prehistoric and Native American tribes.
- Provides clean water for downstream communities and farms.
North Fork American River in the Inventoried Roadless Area by Daniel McQuoid.
Tahoe National Forest: Grouse Lakes Inventoried Roadless Area
Location: Lake Tahoe
Activities: Hiking and backpacking to Glacier Lake and Five Lakes Basin from trailheads like as Grouse Ridge or Carr Lake, camping at backcountry lakeside sites from beginner campers to experienced backpackers.
Ecological values:
- High-elevation Sierra ecosystems featuring granite basins, volcanic geology, montane meadows, and subalpine forests.
- Habitat for native wildlife: pika, Sierra Nevada red fox, various trout species, migratory birds, critical habitat for endangered Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog.
- Vegetation: blueberry shrubs, lodgepole pine, red fir, and mixed conifer stands (undisturbed Sierra mountain environments)
Grouse Lakes Inventoried Roadless Area by Steve Evans
Northern California National Forest Roadless Areas
Shasta-Trinity National Forest: West/East Girard Inventoried Roadless Area
Location: Siskiyou County
Activities: Hiking, backpacking, camping, angling, hunting, whitewater boating
Ecological/Cultural Values:
- Supports large old growth forests, Northern spotted owl and other old growth dependent species.
- Includes the McCloud River and its tributaries – the sacred homeland of the Winnemen Wintu Tribe.
- The McCloud River is a state-designated Wild Trout Water and Yet Atwam Creek supports wild native trout.
- Pacific Crest Trail, Yet Atwam, and other trails provide access
McCloud River in the East Girard Roadless Area by Steve Evans.
Six Rivers National Forest: Board Camp Mountain Inventoried Roadless Area (AKA Mad River Buttes)
Location: Humboldt County
Activities: Hiking, wildlife viewing, native plant studies, traditional tribal uses
Ecological values:
- Critical habitat for Northern spotted owl and Pacific fisher
- rare old-growth Douglas fir forests, cold-water streams supporting coho and chinook salmon,
- High biodiversity and cultural significance for local Indigenous communities
- Proposed as wilderness in Rep. Huffman’s Northwest California Wilderness, Recreation, and Working Forests Act.
Six Rivers National Forest: Underwood Inventoried Roadless Area
Location: Six Rivers National Forest, Humboldt & Trinity Counties
Activities: Hiking, backpacking, angling, hunting, whitewater boating.
Ecological Values:
- Critical habitat for endangered coho salmon and Northern spotted owl.
- Old growth forests
- The South Fork Trinity National Wild and Scenic River flows through the Inventoried Roadless Area
- Proposed as wilderness in Rep. Huffman’s Northwest California Wilderness, Recreation, and Working Forests Act.
SF Trinity River in the Underwood Inventoried Roadless Area by Steve Evans.
