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Wilderness Areas

Location

Lassen National Forest Wilderness Locator Map

Wilderness Areas

The Ishi Wilderness is located in the southern Cascade foothills, approximately twenty miles east of Red Bluff, California. This area is a unique 41,000 acre, low-elevation wilderness.

The land incised by wind and water, dotted with basaltic outcroppings, caves, and bizarre pillar lava formations. Landscape is up and down country with a series of east-west running ridges framed by rugged river canyons. The sunburnt south slopes carry brush (a mixture of species called chaparral). Pines and oaks live on the moister north-facing slopes, and lusher riparian forests line the river banks. Unique to this area are the pineries, dense islands of ponderosa pine growing on terraces left after rivers cut the canyons.

The Caribou Wilderness is a gentle, rolling, forested plateau with many forest fringed lakes. Reminders of volcanic and glacial origin can be seen throughout these wildlands. Crater peaks, cinder cones and numerous large and small depressions have become beautiful lakes and are scattered throughout this plateau region. Caribou Peaks, Black Cinder Rock, and Red Cinder are points of interest.

The average elevation is 6,900 feet. The highest point, Red Cinder, is 8,370 feet. From here there are majestic views of the lofty mountains that surround this primitive wilderness. Located on the eastern slopes of what was once Mount Tehama, this area is surrounded by the volcanic peaks of Swain Mountain, Bogard Buttes, Prospect Peak, Ash Butte, Red Cinder Cone and Mount Harkness.

The Thousand Lakes Wilderness is located within the southern portion of the Cascade Mountain Range comprises 16,335 acres of contrasting topography. Thousand Lakes Wilderness is midway between the town of Burney and Lassen Volcanic National Park.

This area offers volcanic and glacial formations, rocky ravines, mountain slopes, open meadows, and stands of lodgepole pine and red fir. It is dominated by 8,677 foot Crater Peak, the highest point on the Lassen National Forest, and is a reminder of the glacial action that eroded Thousand Lakes Volcano and created the many small lakes and ponds scattered throughout. The lowest point in the Wilderness occurs at the base of the volcano at 5,546 feet.

The seven major lakes that lie within the Wilderness valley contain trout. Several species of wildlife make their home in the Wilderness. With a little luck and a good pair of binoculars you might spot some the more permanent residents; black-tailed deer, black bear, pika, pine marten, northern goshawk, spotted owl, pileated woodpecker, and Clark's nutcracker. Even elk have been know to visit occasionally.