The South Warner Primitive Area was created in 1931. With the passage of the 1964 Wilderness Act, the area became a formal part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. The 1984 Wilderness Act added more land, for a total of 70,385 acres.

The South Warner Mountain Wilderness of the Modoc National Forest is located in the southeast section of the Warner Mountain Ranger District and is 18 miles long by 8 miles wide.The Wilderness has very steep slopes on the east side and moderate slopes on the west. A variety of vegetation adorns the area from high desert sagebrush and juniper to high alpine terrain. The Wilderness offers breathless vistas and the highest peaks in northeast California. All of Modoc County, much of Lassen County, and the Black Rock Desert in Northwestern Nevada are visible from higher areas. Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen can be seen in distant panorama.

The South Warner Wilderness has breathtaking scenery and ample opportunities for hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, hunting and fishing. It offers snowcapped peaks, mountain meadows, sparkling streams, trout fishing amid scenic grandeur, a profusion of colorful flowers and shrubs, and countless birds and small animals.

Blue Fire Burned into the South Warner Wilderness
Areas of the wilderness burned in the 2001 Blue Fire. Visitors are being asked to be cautious when traveling in burned areas.

BE AWARE OF:

BLACKENED TREES; they could be weakened to the point of falling!

STUMP HOLES; A tripping hazard for people and livestock.

WIDOW MAKERS; fallen trees or branches hung up in other trees!

Please check the map at the trailhead to plan alternate Routes of travel as necessary.

Peaks of the South Warner Wilderness
Seven high mountain peaks dominate the South Warner Wilderness. The three most distinctive are Squaw Peak, Warren Peak and Eagle Peak. Squaw Peak at 8,646 feet is a landmark at the north end of the Wilderness. Warren Peak at 9,710 feet marks the north central section. Eagle Peak towers at 9,892 feet in the south central section. Massive cliffs rising dramatically behind Patterson Lake to the north of Warren Peak are typical of the strikingly beautiful geography in the Wilderness.

About Wilderness
Viewed with awe and some misgivings by early settlers, America's wilderness has been interwoven into the Nation's folklore, history, art and literature. Congress directs four federal agencies - the Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management - to preserve wilderness. The South Warner Wilderness is held in trust by the Forest Service for the use, enjoyment and spiritual enrichment of the American people.

Wilderness is not only a condition of physical geography, but a state of mind. It is a frontier where a visitor creates only limited impact. Wilderness is scenic beauty, solitude, opportunity for recreation or contemplation, and a place of retreat and renewal. One is exhilarated by breathing clean, fresh air and sleeping close to the stars.

Wilderness is defined in the Wilderness Act as federal land "where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man...which is protected and managed to preserve its natural conditions." No mechanized conveyances are permitted: one enters a wilderness only on foot or horseback. No facilities or campgrounds are constructed in a wilderness. People are merely visitors: they leave only footprints and take only memories.

The non Forest Service site offers information about the Nation's Wilderness System.

Wilderness Ethics

The wilderness environment is extremely important for recreation, allowing people to enjoy the solitude in a natural environment. In a Wilderness, nature comes first. When using the wilderness and backcountry areas, please practice techniques that protect the land in a natural state to be enjoyed by future travelers.

Minimize evidence of your visit by practicing Leave No Trace traveling. No Trace traveling is more than a technique or set of rules defining appropriate behavior, it is an attitude. When traveling in the South Warner Wilderness, keep these tips in mind:
camp at least 150 feet from streams, lakes and trails
pack out everything packed in
bury body waste at least 150 feet from water
keep fires small and leave them DEAD OUT
horses must be tethered or picketed at least 150 feet from water and in such a way as to prevent injury to trees, vegetation and soil
do everything possible to protect water sources from contamination
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