South Warner Wilderness

South Warner Wilderness is a large protected nature reserve in the Warner Mountains of northeastern California, featuring elevations between 4,800 and 9,900 feet. The landscape includes forested slopes, alpine meadows, and rocky peaks connected by well-maintained trail systems that wind through the terrain.

The U.S. Forest Service first recognized this area as a primitive region in 1931, and the Wilderness Act of 1964 gave it official protected status. This legal designation has kept the landscape largely undeveloped and unchanged since then.

Native American peoples lived in these mountains and used the land's resources for generations before European settlement changed the region. Walking through the area today, you can sense how these communities moved through the landscape and depended on its natural gifts.

Eight trailheads give you different entry points for exploring, and about 79 miles of paths are suitable for various skill levels. You can hike, ride horses, or fish in several lakes and streams, though weather and conditions can change quickly at higher elevations.

The crest of the Warner Mountains divides water flow between two completely different drainage systems that are worlds apart. On one side water flows toward the Sacramento River, while on the other side it feeds alkali lakes of the Great Basin - a geological boundary you can cross while hiking.