San Gorgonio Wilderness
Area Management
The San Gorgonio Wilderness is part of the 110 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. This System of lands provides clean air, water, and habitat critical for rare and endangered plants and animals. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities like hiking, backpacking, climbing, kayaking, canoeing, rafting, horse packing, bird watching, stargazing, and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. You play an important role in helping to "secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness" as called for by the Congress of the United States through the Wilderness Act of 1964. Please follow the requirements outlined below and use Leave No Trace techniques when visiting the San Gorgonio Wilderness to ensure protection of this unique area.Bureau of Land Management Information
Unless otherwise specified, no motorized equipment or mechanical transport, with the exception of wheelchairs, is allowed. This is generally true for all federal lands managed as designated wilderness.Forest Service Information
General Wilderness Prohibitions
Motorized equipment and equipment used for mechanical transport is generally prohibited on all federal lands designated as wilderness. This includes the use of motor vehicles, motorboats, motorized equipment, bicycles, hang gliders, wagons, carts, portage wheels, and the landing of aircraft including helicopters, unless provided for in specific legislation.In a few areas some exceptions allowing the use of motorized equipment or mechanical transport are described in the special regulations in effect for a specific area. Contact the Forest Service office or visit the websites listed on the 'Links' tab for more specific information.
These general prohibitions have been implemented for all national forest wildernesses in order to implement the provisions of the Wilderness Act of 1964. The Wilderness Act requires management of human-caused impacts and protection of the area's wilderness character to insure that it is "unimpaired for the future use and enjoyment as wilderness." Use of the equipment listed as prohibited in wilderness is inconsistent with the provision in the Wilderness Act which mandates opportunities for solitude or primitive recreation and that wilderness is a place that is in contrast with areas where people and their works are dominant.
Wilderness-Specific Regulations
Wilderness managers often need to take action to limit the impacts caused by visitor activities in order to protect the natural conditions of wilderness as required by the Wilderness Act of 1964. Managers typically implement 'indirect' types of actions such as information and education measures before selecting more restrictive measures. When regulations are necessary, they are implemented with the specific intent of balancing the need to preserve the character of the wilderness while providing for the use and enjoyment of wilderness.The following wilderness regulations are in effect for this area. Not all regulations are in effect for every wilderness. Contact the Forest Service office or visit the websites listed on the 'Links' tab for more specific information about the regulations listed.
ALL VISITORS
Permits are required.
As of 1998, open campfires of any kind have been prohibited.
Do not shortcut switchbacks.
Mutilating, defacing, removing, disturbing, injuring, or destroying any natural feature or any government property is prohibited.
To prevent forest fires, smoking is prohibited unless you are surrounded by at least three feed of barren ground that has been cleared of all flammable material.
The maximum group size is 12 (twelve) persons or 8 stock animals.
Dogs must be leashed.
Camping or picketing stock within 200 feet of meadows, springs, streams, trails, or other occupied camps is prohibited.
Disposing of debris, garbage, or other waste material is prohibited.
Polluting a stream, lake, or other water body with waste is illegal.
OVERNIGHT VISITORS
Camping in a location other than that specified on the permit is prohibited.
Camping within the same campsite in the South Fork drainage for more than two nights per party during any one trip is prohibited.
Do not camp or picket stock within 1/4 mile of Dollar Lake.
You or your group must have a shovel or hand trowel for burying human waste during overnight camping or for cleaning sites and/or stove fires.
Learn more about why regulations may be necessary in wilderness.
