Caribou Wilderness
| Caribou Wilderness | |
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IUCN category Ib (wilderness area)
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Caribou rock garden
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 Map of the United States
Map of the United States
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| Location | Cascade Range, east of Lassen Peak, Lassen County / Plumas County, California |
| Nearest city | Susanville, California |
| Coordinates | 40°30′03″N 121°12′05″W / 40.50083°N 121.20139°WCoordinates: 40°30′03″N 121°12′05″W / 40.50083°N 121.20139°W |
| Area | 20,546 acres (83.15 km2) |
| Established | 1964 |
| Governing body | U.S. Forest Service / US Department of Agriculture |
The Caribou Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness area created by the Wilderness Act of 1964 and is part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. It is located 60 miles (97 km) east of Redding in the state of California, USA. The Caribou Wilderness comprises 20,546 acres (83.15 km2) and is adjacent to the east side of Lassen Volcanic National Park. Although the park (which includes its own Lassen Volcanic Wilderness area) is surrounded by Lassen National Forest, it is managed separately by the National Park Service, whereas the U.S. Forest Service manages the wilderness.
Elevations range from 6,400 feet (2,000 m) to 8,374 feet (2,552 m).
The terrain is a volcanic plateau with 75% covered by water and conifer forests and the remainder being barren rock such as cliff faces, talus slopes and cinder cones. Most of this area has been preserved since 1932 which makes the Caribou Wilderness one of the few remaining pristine forests of the California Cascade region. There are 23 named lakes, innumerable unnamed ponds and tarns, cinder cones and volcanic buttes within the wilderness. Although there are no year round surface streams, the area provides high quality water for the headwaters of the Susan River, and Bailey Creek, a tributary of the Feather River. The high point is Red Cinder (8,363 ft) located near the boundary between the wilderness and the park. Other peaks are North Caribou (7,785 ft), South Caribou ( 7,753 ft) and Black Butte in the northeast at 7,989 ft.
Recreational activities include day hiking, backpacking, fishing, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, nature photography and rock climbing. The Forest Service encourages the practice of Leave No Trace principles of outdoor travel to minimize human impact on the environment.
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