Visit Wilderness

Search for a wilderness as the destination for your next outdoor adventure.

Bob Marshall Wilderness Area, Minnesota

Why Visit Wilderness?

While wilderness can be appreciated from afar—through online content, television, or books—nothing compares to experiencing it firsthand. Activities like camping, hiking, or hunting allow you to fully enjoy the recreational, ecological, spiritual, and health benefits that wilderness areas offer. These areas provide “outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation,” chances to observe wildlife, moments to renew and refresh, and the physical benefits of outdoor exercise. In many wilderness areas, you can even bring your well-behaved dog.

Learn more about the diverse ways in which we benefit from wilderness and threats wilderness areas face today.

Location

The King Range National Conservation Area is located about 230 miles north of San Francisco and 60 miles south of Eureka.

Know that:

All roads leading to the King Range are narrow, steep and winding. Allow PLENTY of time between destinations, have a full tank of gas, and be alert to oncoming traffic.

All main roads are normally accessible to passenger cars except during heavy winter storms. Primitive roads may be closed seasonally. Call the BLM for current road conditions.

Brown directional signs mark all major intersections in the King Range giving the road name and distances to primary recreation sites.

NORTH ACCESS: U.S. 101 to the Ferndale exit. Once in Ferndale, follow signs to Petrolia. One mile past Petrolia, turn right on Lighthouse Road; it is 5 more miles to the Mattole Recreation Site. Allow 1 1/2 hours for the 42 mile trip.

CENTRAL ACCESS: U.S. 101 to South Fork - Honeydew exit. Follow the signs to Honeydew (23 Miles). Turn left in Honeydew to Honeydew Creek Recreation Site and Smith-Etter Road. Allow 1 hour for the 24 mile trip.

SOUTH ACCESS: U.S. 101 to the Redway/Garberville exit. Follow signs to Shelter Cove/King Range NCA. Allow 45 minutes for the 22 mile trip to Shelter Cove.

TRAVEL TIMES BETWEEN SELECTED DESTINATIONS

Black Sands Beach to Mattole Recreation Site, 2 hours, 30 minutes

Honeydew to:

A.W. Way Park, 8 miles, 20 minutes
Mattole Recreation Site, 18.5 miles, 45 minutes

Smith-Etter Rd./Wilder Ridge Rd. Intersection to:

(Four -Wheel Drive Recommended on this road.)

North Slide Peak Trailhead, 7.5 miles, 1 hour
Kinsey Ridge Trailhead, 10 miles, 1 hour 15 minutes
Spanish Ridge Trailhead, 14 miles, 1 hour 45 minutes

King Peak Rd./Shelter Cove Rd. Intersection to:

Tolkan Campground, 3.5 miles, 15 minutes
Horse Mountain Campground, 6.5 miles, 25 minutes
Lightning Trailhead, 16 miles, 1 hour
Saddle Mountain Trailhead, 10.5 miles, 1 hour

Shelter Cove Rd./Chemise Mountain Rd. Intersection to:

Hidden Valley Trailhead, 1/4 mile, 1 minute
Wailaki/Nadelos Campgrounds, 1/2 mile, 5 minutes
Sinkyone State Park (Needle Rock), 10 miles, 45 minutes