Trinity Alps Wilderness

Photograph taken in the Trinity Alps Wilderness

Library image #2499

Introduction

The United States Congress designated the Trinity Alps Wilderness (map) in 1984 and it now has a total of 525,477 acres. All of this wilderness is located in California and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service.

Description

Formerly known as the Salmon-Trinity Alps Primitive Area, The Trinity Alps Wilderness is located 50 miles west of Redding California. Drained in the south by the Wild and Scenic Trinity River and in the north by the Wild and Scenic Salmon River. Numerous rushing streams feed into these rivers, many of them emerging from the region's 55 lakes. Scattered stands of timber, some of them virgin, are opened by large meadows wild with flowers in July and August, and shadowed by barren rock cliffs and stark peaks with elevations up to 9,000 feet. Black bears are common (despite the name, they're often colored brown or blond), sharing the area with an abundance of other wildlife species. As much as 12 feet of snow falls on the high country every year. A piece of the Wilderness along Canyon Creek and the Trinity River lies on BLM land, while the rest of this vast area, one of the state's largest, is situated on USFS land.

The Trinity Alps Wilderness contains a total of 550 miles of maintained trails. Numerous loop hikes requiring three to five days to complete are possible. 17 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail run through the northern part of the Wilderness. There are many areas within the Wilderness capable of providing opportunities for solitude.

Planning to Visit the Trinity Alps Wilderness?

Leave No Trace

How to follow the seven standard Leave No Trace principles differs in different parts of the country (desert vs. Rocky Mountains). Click on any of the principles listed below to learn more about how they apply in the Trinity Alps Wilderness.

For more information on Leave No Trace, Visit the Leave No Trace, Inc. website.