Desolation Wilderness
| Desolation Wilderness | |
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IUCN category Ib (wilderness area)
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Desolation Wilderness from Mount Tallac
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| Location | El Dorado County, California, USA |
| Nearest city | South Lake Tahoe, CA |
| Coordinates | 38°55′11″N 120°10′12″W / 38.91972°N 120.17000°WCoordinates: 38°55′11″N 120°10′12″W / 38.91972°N 120.17000°W |
| Area | 63,960 acres (258.8 km2) |
| Established | January 1, 1969 |
| Governing body | U.S. Forest Service |
The Desolation Wilderness is a 63,960-acre (258.8 km2) federally protected wilderness area in the Eldorado National Forest and Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, in El Dorado County, California. The crest of the Sierra Nevada runs through it, just west of Lake Tahoe.
Before European settlement in the middle nineteenth century, there is evidence this area was used by the Washoe. After, it was known at times as "Devil's Valley," and most often used for cattle grazing. By the end of that century, the first formal step to limiting its development when it was made a Forest Reserve, managed first by the General Land Office, and later, by the US Forest Service. It was set aside as the Desolation Valley Primitive Area in 1931 with an area of 64,000 acres (260 km2). In 1969, it became the Desolation Wilderness after the passage of the Wilderness Act of 1964.
Desolation is a popular backpacking destination, with much barren rocky terrain at the edge of the tree line. It has extensive areas of bare granite rock formations.
The Tahoe Rim Trail and Pacific Crest Trail pass through the wilderness. A list of other trailheads that provide access to the wilderness follows.
Permits are required for both day use and overnight camping. In the summer, a quota system is used for overnight trips to limit the number of visitors on any given day in the wilderness. Desolation Wilderness is one of the most heavily used protected areas in the United States. This Wilderness area is split up into 45 different zones, with each having a specific permitting quota. 70% of each zone's overnight permits are available through the National Recreation Reservation Service (NRRS) at www.recreation.gov or 1-877-444-6777. Reserved permits can be printed at home or picked up at a Forest Service office within 14 days prior to date of entry. A signed copy of your permit must be in your possession. The remaining 30% of each zone's quota is available first-come, first-served at either the Pacific Ranger Station (year-round) at 7887 Highway 50, Pollock Pines, CA 95726 (530-644-2349) or in the summer at the Taylor Creek Visitor Center at Visitor Center Road, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 (530-543-2674).
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Wikipedia