Wilderness
"In order to assure that an increasing population, accompanied by expanding settlement and growing mechanization, does not occupy and modify all areas within the United States and its possessions, leaving no lands designated for preservation and protection in their natural condition, it is hereby declared to be the policy of the Congress to secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness.” - Excerpt from The Wilderness Act of 1964
Ishi Wilderness
41,880-acre Ishi Wilderness
The Ishi is named for a Yahi Yana Indian who was the last survivor of his tribe, who lived in the area for over three thousand years. Shortly after 1850, the white settlers killed all but a handful of the Yahi. Ishi (the Yahi word for man) and a few others escaped and lived quietly for decades in this harsh, wild country. Read more about the Ishi's story
Thousand Lakes Wilderness
16,526 acres of Contrasting Topography
Volcanic and glacial formations, rocky ravines, mountain slopes, open meadows, and stands of lodgepole pine and red fir define the Wilderness. It is dominated by 8,677-foot Crater Peak, the highest point on the Lassen National Forest.
Caribou Wilderness
20,839-acre Caribou Wilderness
A gentle, rolling, forested plateau dotted with glacial lakes. Reminders of volcanic and glacial origin are apparent throughout this remote, unpopulated area. Crater peaks, cinder cones, and numerous large and small depressions have resulted in the formation of the crystalline lakes that are scattered throughout the plateau.
"If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it.” - Proclaimed by President Lyndon B. Johnson upon his signing of The Wilderness Act, September 3rd, 1964
Connect with Wilderness areas across the Pacific Southwest Region.