Caribou Wilderness, Nature reserve in Plumas County, US

Caribou Wilderness is a nature reserve with volcanic plateaus, clear lakes, and dense conifer forests across rolling terrain. The landscape features open meadows interspersed with forested slopes and numerous water sources that create varied hiking opportunities for visitors.

The area was designated as a primitive zone by the US Forest Service in 1932 and gained status in the National Wilderness Preservation System in 1964. These protections secured the landscape against major development and maintained its natural character.

The name comes from Caribou Lake, one of 23 named lakes in the area. Since 1964 no bicycles or motorised equipment may be brought in, and old fences and tree blazes from earlier grazing and logging use can still be seen along the trails. The Forest Service asks visitors to follow Leave No Trace practices.

The reserve is accessible through multiple trailheads and offers the best conditions from late spring through early fall for safe outdoor activity. Visitors should prepare for changeable mountain weather and pack waterproof gear.

Red Cinder, the high point at 8,363 ft, sits on the boundary between the wilderness and Lassen Volcanic National Park. The wilderness has no year-round surface streams, yet its lakes and ponds feed the headwaters of the Susan River and Bailey Creek, a Feather River tributary. The Forest Service stocks 21 of the lakes with rainbow trout by air.