List of U.S. state and tribal wilderness areas

List of wilderness areas designated by U.S. state and tribal governments. Seven states had designated wilderness programs in 2008 while some other states had designated wildernesses. In 2008, 12 states had 91 wilderness areas with a total protected area of around 3.2 million acres (12949.94 km²).^[1] Florida had 10 wilderness areas until their authorizing legislation was repealed in 1989.

For federally designated wildernesses, see List of U.S. wilderness areas. There are also privately owned areas called wildernesses like the Nature Conservancy's 12,000 acre (49 km²) Disney Wilderness Preserve in Florida.

State wildernesses

Alaska

5 areas in 2007, total area 1,133,400 acres (4587 km²)

California

11 areas in 2007, total area 475,725 acres (1925 km²)

Boney Mountains State Wilderness Area
Mount San Jacinto State Wilderness Area
Henry W. Coe State Wilderness (unofficially called the Orestimba Wilderness)
Santa Rosa Mountains State Wilderness Area
Sinkyone Wilderness State Park
West Waddell Creek State Wilderness Area

Hawaii

Alakai Wilderness Preserve - 9,000 acres (36 km²)
South Kona Wilderness Area, approximately 1,458 acres

Maine

2 areas in 2007, total area 204,733 acres

Allagash Wilderness Waterway

Maryland

Maryland Wildlands Preservation System 38 areas in 2025, total area 65,956 acres (266.91 km²)^[2]

Type 1 Wildlands:

Big Savage Mountain - 2879 acres Savage River State Forest
Bear Pen - 1517 acres Savage River SF
Middle Fork - 2932 acres Savage River SF
High Rock - 650 acres Savage River SF
Maple Run - 5125 acres Green Ridge SF
Cunningham Falls - 4397 acres Cunningham Falls State Park
Savage Ravines - 2789 acres Savage River SF
Dan’s Mountain - 4047 acres Dan’s Mountain WMA
Upper White Rock - 300 acres Garrett SF
Backbone Mountain - 1706 acres Potomac State Forest/Savage River SF
Maple Lick Run - 600 acres Potomac SF
Puzzley Run - 457 acres Savage River SF

Type 2 Wildlands:

Deep Run - 1416 acres Green Ridge State Forest
Potomac Bends - 2645 acres Green Ridge SF
Rocky Gap - 943 acres Rocky Gap State Park
Sideling Hill - 1555 acres Sideling Hill WMA
Islands of the Potomac - 790 acres Islands of the Potomac WMA
Black Marsh - 667 acres North Point State Park
Gunpowder Falls - 792 acres Gunpowder Falls State Park
Patuxent River - 1579 acres Patuxent River State Park
Soldiers Delight - 1798 acres Soldiers Delight NEA
Morgan Run 499 acres - Morgan Run NEA
Panther Branch 735 acres - Gunpowder Falls SP
Sweathouse Branch - 1073 acres Gunpowder Falls SP
Mingo Branch/Bush Cabin Run - 1272 acres Gunpowder Falls SP
Belt Woods - 610 acres Belt Woods NEA
Calvert Cliffs - 1079 acres Calvert Cliffs State Park
St. Mary's River - 1445 acres St. Mary's River State Park
Mattawoman - 2993 acres Mattawoman NEA
Idylwild - 570 acres Idylwild WMA
Pocomoke River - 3029 acres Pocomoke River State Forest/State Park
Cypress Swamp - 2090 acres Pocomoke SF
Cedar Island - 2880 acres Cedar Island WMA
South Savage - 2079 acres Savage River State Forest
Janes Island - 3125 acres Janes Island State Park
Parker’s Creek - 1756 acres Parker’s Creek WMA
Zekiah Swamp - 443 acres Zekiah Swamp NEA
Chapman - 694 acres Chapman State Park

Michigan

4 areas in 2007, total area 57,733 acres (234 km²)

Minnesota

state land within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

Missouri

13 areas in 2025, total area 26,178 acres (106 km²) Missouri Wild Area System

Big Sugar Creek, Cuivre River State Park - 1,675 acres
Bryant Creek Hills, Bryant Creek State Park - 1,186 acres
Coonville Creek, St. Francois State Park - 2,256 acres
East Fork, Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park - 1,110 acres
Elk River Hills, Big Sugar Creek State Park - 1,168 acres
Gans Creek, Rock Bridge Memorial State Park - 720 acres
Goggins Mountain, Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park - 5,800 acres
Indian Creek, Trail of Tears State Park - 1,300 acres
Mudlick Mountain, Sam A. Baker State Park - 4,420 acres
Northwoods, Cuivre River State Park - 1,113 acres
Patterson Hollow, Lake of the Ozarks State Park - 1,275 acres

Roaring River Hills, Roaring River State Park - 2,075 acres

Whispering Pine, Hawn State Park - 2,080 acres

New York

22 areas in 2007, total area 1,214,217 acres (4,914 km²)

Adirondack Park:

Blue Ridge Wilderness Area - 45,736 acres (185.09 km²)
Dix Mountain Wilderness Area - 45,208 acres (182.95 km²)
Five Ponds Wilderness Area - 117,978 acres (447.440 km²)
Giant Mountain Wilderness Area - 22,768 acres (92.139 km²)
Ha-De-Ron-Dah Wilderness Area - 26,528 acres (107.36 km²)
High Peaks Wilderness Area - 192,685 acres (779.769 km²) (part of High Peaks Wilderness Complex - 226,435 acres (916.74 km²))
Hoffman Notch Wilderness Area - 36,231 acres (146.62 km²)
Jay Mountain Wilderness Area - 7,100 acres (28.73 km²)
McKenzie Mountain Wilderness Area - 37,616 acres (152.23 km²)
Pepperbox Wilderness Area - 22,560 acres (91.300 km²)
Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Area - 45,883 acres (185.68 km²)
Pigeon Lake Wilderness Area - 50,100 acres (202.75 km²)
Saint Regis Canoe Area - 18,231 acres (73.778 km²)
Sentinel Range Wilderness Area - 23,252 acres (94.098 km²)
Siamese Ponds Wilderness Area - 112,524 acres (455.368 km²)
Silver Lake Wilderness Area - 105,270 acres (426.013 km²)
West Canada Lake Wilderness Area - 156,695 acres (634.122 km²)
William C. Whitney Wilderness Area - 20,500 acres (83 km²)

Catskill Park:

Slide Mountain Wilderness Area 47,500 acres (190 km²)
Big Indian-Beaverkill Wilderness Area 33,000 acres (132 km²)
Indian Head Wilderness Area 16,800 acres (67.2 km²)
West Kill Wilderness Area 19,250 acres (77 km²)

(A proposed revision to the Catskill State Land Master Plan would upgrade two other management units in the Catskills from wild forest to wilderness status and transfer some land currently considered wild forest to existing wilderness areas)

Ohio

1 area in 2025

Shawnee Wilderness Area in Shawnee State Forest, approximately 8,000 acres

Oklahoma

1 area in 2025

McCurtain County Wilderness Area, total area 14,087 acres

Pennsylvania

Wild area name	State forest	County	Area	Date founded	Remarks
Algerine Wild Area	Tiadaghton	Lycoming	4,177 acres (1,690 ha)		Traversed by the Black Forest Trail.^[3]^[4]
Asaph Wild Area	Tioga	Tioga	2,070 acres (838 ha)		^[5]
Burns Run Wild Area	Sproul	Clinton	2,408 acres (974 ha)^[6]		Traversed by the Chuck Keiper Trail.^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10]
Clear Shade Wild Area	Gallitzin	Somerset	2,791 acres (1,129 ha)		Traversed by the John P. Saylor Trail.^[11]^[12]
Hammersley Wild Area	Susquehannock	Clinton, Potter	30,253 acres (12,243 ha)	2004	Largest area without a road in Pennsylvania.^[13]^[14]
James C. Nelson Wild Area	Tuscarora	Juniata, Perry	5,345 acres (2,163 ha)		Forest last cut between 1902 and 1917.^[15]
Kettle Creek Wild Area	Loyalsock	Sullivan	2,600 acres (1,100 ha)^[16]		^[17]^[18]^[19]
Martin Hill Wild Area	Buchanan	Bedford	11,676 acres (4,725 ha)		^[20]
McIntyre Wild Area	Loyalsock	Lycoming	7,500 acres (3,035 ha)		Includes remnants of a ghost town.^[19]^[21]
Penns Creek Wild Area	Bald Eagle	Mifflin, Union	6,200 acres (2,509 ha)	2016	^[22]
Quebec Run Wild Area	Forbes	Fayette	7,441 acres (3,011 ha)	2004	^[23]
Quehanna Wild Area	Elk and Moshannon	Cameron, Clearfield, Elk	50,000 acres (20,234 ha)	1966	Largest Wild Area in Pennsylvania.^[24]^[25]^[26]
Russell P. Letterman Wild Area	Sproul	Clinton	4,715 acres (1,908 ha)^[6]		Traversed by the Chuck Keiper Trail.^[8]^[9]^[10]
Square Timber Wild Area	Elk	Cameron	8,461 acres (3,424 ha)		^[26]
Stairway Wild Area	Delaware	Pike	2,882 acres (1,166 ha)		^[27]^[28]
Thickhead Mountain Wild Area	Rothrock	Centre, Huntingdon	4,886 acres (1,977 ha)		^[29]^[30]
Trough Creek Wild Area	Rothrock	Huntingdon	1,703 acres (689 ha)		^[30]
Wolf Run Wild Area	Tiadaghton	Lycoming	6,900 acres (2,792 ha)		Traversed by the Golden Eagle Trail.^[3]^[4]

South Carolina

1 area in 2025

Mountain Bridge Wilderness, approximately 17,000 acres

Tennessee

Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness - 10,000 acres (40 km²)

Wisconsin

1 area in 2002, total area 6,358 acres (2.6 km² )

Tribal wildernesses

Flathead Indian Reservation (Montana)

Mission Mountains Tribal Wilderness

Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission

consisting of 11 Ojibwa tribes: Bay Mills Indian Community, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community and Lac Vieux Desert band in Michigan; Bad River, Lac Courte Oreilles, Lac du Flambeau, Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Red Cliff and St. Croix bands in Wisconsin; and Fond du Lac and Mille Lacs bands in Minnesota.

in Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Wisconsin
- Blackjack Springs
- Headwaters
- Porcupine Lake
- Rainbow
- Whisker Lake
in Ottawa National Forest, Michigan
- McCormick
- Sturgeon River Gorge
- Sylvania
in Hiawatha National Forest, Michigan
- Big Island Lake
- Delirium
- Horseshoe Bay
- Mackinac
- Rock River Canyon
- Round Island
in Huron-Manistee National Forest, Michigan
- Nordhouse Dunes

References

^ https://www.umt.edu/media/wilderness/NWPS/documents/IJWApr08_Propst.pdf
^ https://dsd.maryland.gov/regulations/Pages/08.01.02.02.aspx
^ ^a ^b "Natural & Wild Areas near the Tiadaghton State Forest". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on March 2, 2004. Retrieved March 1, 2010.
^ ^a ^b "Tiadaghton State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
^ "Tioga State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Site #30-Southern Sproul State Forest". Pennsylvania Audubon Society. Retrieved April 2, 2010.
^ Sproul State Forest (PDF) (Map). 1 inch = 2 miles. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 18, 2007. Retrieved March 1, 2010.
^ ^a ^b "Proposed Natural/Old-growth Area, Sproul State Forest". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on March 2, 2004. Retrieved March 1, 2010. Note: This refers to Russell P. Letterman Wild Area by its former name, Fish Dam Wild Area
^ ^a ^b "Pennsylvania Wilds: Chuck Keiper Trail". Pennsylvania. Retrieved March 1, 2010. Note: This mistakenly calls Burns Run Wild Area "Burns Wild Area" and refers to Russell P. Letterman Wild Area by its former name, Fish Dam Wild Area.
^ ^a ^b "Sproul State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
^ John P. Saylor Trail, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
^ "Gallitzin State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
^ "The Resource: Hammersley Wild Area becomes official". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. January 2004. Archived from the original on March 9, 2004. Retrieved March 1, 2010.
^ "Susquehannock State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
^ "Tuscarora State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
^ "Site #42-Wyoming State Forest & World's End State Park". Pennsylvania Audubon Society. Retrieved April 2, 2010.
^ Loyalsock State Forest (PDF) (Map). 1 inch = 2 miles. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 16, 2006. Retrieved March 1, 2010.
^ Thornbloom, Gary. "Kettle Creek Natural and Wild Areas via the Loyalsock Trail" (PDF). Pennsylvania Sierra Club.
^ ^a ^b "Loyalsock State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
^ "Buchanan State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
^ "Natural & Wild Areas near Loyalsock State Forest". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on November 16, 2006. Retrieved March 1, 2010.
^ "Bald Eagle State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
^ "Forbes State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
^ "Quehanna Wild Area, Wykoff Run Natural Area". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on March 2, 2004. Retrieved March 1, 2010.
^ "Natural & Wild Areas near the Elk State Forest". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on March 2, 2004. Retrieved March 1, 2010.
^ ^a ^b "Elk State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
^ "Delaware State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
^ "Delaware State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
^ "Natural & Wild Areas near the Rothrock State Forest". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on February 26, 2004. Retrieved March 1, 2010.
^ ^a ^b "Rothrock State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.

External links

2002 survey of state wilderness areas

[1] ttps://www.umt.edu/media/wilderness/NWPS/documents/IJWApr08_Propst.pdf

[2] ttps://dsd.maryland.gov/regulations/Pages/08.01.02.02.aspx

[tiadaghton-3] "Natural & Wild Areas near the Tiadaghton State Forest". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on March 2, 2004. Retrieved March 1, 2010.

[:0-4] "Tiadaghton State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.

[5] "Tioga State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.

[sproul-6] "Site #30-Southern Sproul State Forest". Pennsylvania Audubon Society. Retrieved April 2, 2010.

[sproul_map-7] Sproul State Forest (PDF) (Map). 1 inch = 2 miles. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 18, 2007. Retrieved March 1, 2010.

[old_sproul-8] "Proposed Natural/Old-growth Area, Sproul State Forest". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on March 2, 2004. Retrieved March 1, 2010. Note: This refers to Russell P. Letterman Wild Area by its former name, Fish Dam Wild Area

[keiper-9] "Pennsylvania Wilds: Chuck Keiper Trail". Pennsylvania. Retrieved March 1, 2010. Note: This mistakenly calls Burns Run Wild Area "Burns Wild Area" and refers to Russell P. Letterman Wild Area by its former name, Fish Dam Wild Area.

[:1-10] "Sproul State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.

[11] John P. Saylor Trail, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

[12] "Gallitzin State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.

[resource-13] "The Resource: Hammersley Wild Area becomes official". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. January 2004. Archived from the original on March 9, 2004. Retrieved March 1, 2010.

[14] "Susquehannock State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.

[15] "Tuscarora State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved July 14, 2021.

[16] "Site #42-Wyoming State Forest & World's End State Park". Pennsylvania Audubon Society. Retrieved April 2, 2010.

[17] Loyalsock State Forest (PDF) (Map). 1 inch = 2 miles. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 16, 2006. Retrieved March 1, 2010.

[18] Thornbloom, Gary. "Kettle Creek Natural and Wild Areas via the Loyalsock Trail" (PDF). Pennsylvania Sierra Club.

[:2-19] "Loyalsock State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.

[20] "Buchanan State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.

[21] "Natural & Wild Areas near Loyalsock State Forest". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on November 16, 2006. Retrieved March 1, 2010.

[22] "Bald Eagle State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.

[23] "Forbes State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.

[quehanna-24] "Quehanna Wild Area, Wykoff Run Natural Area". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on March 2, 2004. Retrieved March 1, 2010.

[25] "Natural & Wild Areas near the Elk State Forest". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on March 2, 2004. Retrieved March 1, 2010.

[:3-26] "Elk State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.

[27] "Delaware State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved July 14, 2021.

[28] "Delaware State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.

[rothrock-29] "Natural & Wild Areas near the Rothrock State Forest". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on February 26, 2004. Retrieved March 1, 2010.

[:4-30] "Rothrock State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved December 16, 2023.

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