Wilderness
South Warner Wilderness
The South Warner Wilderness is over 70,000 acres of wild, primitive peaks and valleys waiting for you to come and explore.
The area was designated as a Primitive Area in 1931 and became a wilderness by act of congress in 1964. Additional acreage was added in 1984 by the California Wilderness Act.
The South Warner Wilderness lies in the eastern half of Modoc County at the extreme south end of the Warner Mountains. Wilderness elevations vary from 5,800 feet at Clear Lake to 9,892 feet at Eagle Peak.
Seven peaks dominate the South Warner Wilderness. The most distinctive are Warren Peak at 9,710 feet in the north central section and Eagle Peak at 9,892 feet, presiding in the south central section of the wilderness. The massive cliffs rising dramatically behind Patterson Lake on the north side of Warren Peak are typical of the strikingly beautiful geography in this wilderness.
The wilderness is surrounded by trailheads, campgrounds, corrals and staging areas that were designed for equestrians. There are also excellent facilities for hikers and backpackers to enjoy. With more than 80 miles of trails, hikers and equestrians can use them in combination to create through routes and loops.
No wilderness permits are needed but, please sign in at the trailhead. The sign-in sheets are used for administrative use only to better understand wilderness visitation patterns. Neither the Forest Service nor the Modoc County Sheriff uses these sheets to keep track of over-due persons. A search and rescue operation is only activated if you are reported missing. For this reason, be sure someone knows where your are planning to travel and when you expect to return.
Overdue persons should be reported to the Modoc Sheriff's Office at 530-233-4416. They will ask for the beginning and ending trailheads, a description of the vehicle including license plate number, make, color and year, and a description and names of all the people in your party. Be sure you leave this information with someone responsible at home.