Siskiyou Wilderness
Encyclopedia
The Siskiyou Wilderness is a federal wilderness area designated by the passage of the California Wilderness Act of 1984
. Originally, the land area was 153000 acres (619.2 km²) The Northern California Wild Heritage Act
of 2006 added 30122 acres (121.9 km²) for the current total of 182802 acres (740 km²). All of the wilderness is in Northern California
and is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. The wilderness spans three national forests; Siskiyou, Klamath
, and the Six Rivers
.
The Siskiyou Mountains form one of the longest continuous crests in the Klamath Mountains region. Elevations range from 770 feet (234.7 m) to the summit of Preston Peak
at 7309 feet (2,227.8 m) above sea level. Trending in a north-south direction from the Oregon state border down to near the town of Weitchpec and 20 miles (32.2 km) inland from the Pacific Ocean, the Siskiyous are dotted by rocky peaks rising over 6000 feet (1,828.8 m) from the surrounding lowlands.
The wilderness is home to several rare species, including wolverine
, martin, fisher
, northern spotted owl
and Roosevelt elk
. There is also black bear
, black-tailed deer, and many varieties of birds. The clear streams provide spawning grounds for steelhead, coho and chinook
salmon
.
The Clear Creek National Recreation Trail crosses 20.5 miles (33 km) of the northern portion and provides access to some of the more scenic parts of the wilderness -- from near the Klamath River
to the Smith River (California)
divide. In the southern part of the wilderness the Kelsey National Recreation Trail begins in the wilderness at Bear Lake and the experienced hiker can walk for 20+ miles to the Smith River. The most heavily visited areas are in the northwest corner of the region -- concentrated on trails that lead to lakes. Much of the area lacks trails and is difficult to access cross-country because of the dense brush. The Bigfoot Trail
traverses the crest of the wilderness from north to south, through some of the most remote areas.
California Wilderness Act of 1984
The California Wilderness Act of 1984 is a federal law , passed by the United States Congress on September 28, 1984, that authorized the addition of over within the state of California to the National Wilderness Preservation System....
. Originally, the land area was 153000 acres (619.2 km²) The Northern California Wild Heritage Act
Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act
The Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act is a U.S. federal law enacted in 2006 that enlarged existing wilderness boundaries and created new wilderness areas for protection under the National Wilderness Preservation System...
of 2006 added 30122 acres (121.9 km²) for the current total of 182802 acres (740 km²). All of the wilderness is in Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
and is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. The wilderness spans three national forests; Siskiyou, Klamath
Klamath National Forest
Klamath National Forest is a national forest, in the Klamath Mountains, located in Siskiyou County in northern California, but with a tiny extension into southern Jackson County in Oregon. The forest contains continuous stands of ponderosa pine, Jeffrey pine, Douglas fir, red fir, white fir and...
, and the Six Rivers
Six Rivers National Forest
Six Rivers National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in the northwestern corner of California. It was established on July 1, 1947 by U.S. President Harry S. Truman from portions of Klamath, Siskiyou and Trinity National Forests. Its over one million acres of land contain a variety of...
.
The Siskiyou Mountains form one of the longest continuous crests in the Klamath Mountains region. Elevations range from 770 feet (234.7 m) to the summit of Preston Peak
Preston Peak
Preston Peak is a dominant feature of the Siskiyou Wilderness. Many peaks in the wilderness rise to over 6,000 feet but none come to within 500 feet of approaching the height of Preston Peak...
at 7309 feet (2,227.8 m) above sea level. Trending in a north-south direction from the Oregon state border down to near the town of Weitchpec and 20 miles (32.2 km) inland from the Pacific Ocean, the Siskiyous are dotted by rocky peaks rising over 6000 feet (1,828.8 m) from the surrounding lowlands.
Flora and fauna
The Siskiyou Wilderness contains a diverse collection of conifer species including rarities such as Alaska cedar, Port Orford cedar, and the Klamath Mountain endemic Brewer Spruce. It is notable for the vast amounts of old-growth forests and many endemic species of wildflowers, shrubs and trees as well as one of the world's largest concentrations of lilies.The wilderness is home to several rare species, including wolverine
Wolverine
The wolverine, pronounced , Gulo gulo , also referred to as glutton, carcajou, skunk bear, or quickhatch, is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae . It is a stocky and muscular carnivore, more closely resembling a small bear than other mustelids...
, martin, fisher
Fisher (animal)
The fisher is a medium-size mammal native to North America. It is a member of the mustelid family, commonly referred to as the weasel family. The fisher is closely related to but larger than the American Marten...
, northern spotted owl
Northern Spotted Owl
The Northern Spotted Owl, Strix occidentalis caurina, is one of three Spotted Owl subspecies. A Western North American bird in the family Strigidae, genus Strix, it is a medium-sized dark brown owl sixteen to nineteen inches in length and one to one and one sixth pounds. Females are larger than males...
and Roosevelt elk
Elk
The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
. There is also black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
, black-tailed deer, and many varieties of birds. The clear streams provide spawning grounds for steelhead, coho and chinook
Chinook salmon
The Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, is the largest species in the pacific salmon family. Other commonly used names for the species include King salmon, Quinnat salmon, Spring salmon and Tyee salmon...
salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
.
Recreation
The wilderness is very lightly used, even though it has 16 trailhead access points.The Clear Creek National Recreation Trail crosses 20.5 miles (33 km) of the northern portion and provides access to some of the more scenic parts of the wilderness -- from near the Klamath River
Klamath River
The Klamath River is an American river that flows southwest through Oregon and northern California, cutting through the Cascade Range to empty into the Pacific Ocean. The river drains an extensive watershed of almost that stretches from the high desert country of the Great Basin to the temperate...
to the Smith River (California)
Smith River (California)
The Smith River is a river on the Pacific coast of northern California in the United States, approximately long. It drains a rugged area of the Pacific Coast Ranges west of the Siskiyou Mountains just south of the Oregon border and north of the watershed of the Klamath River. The catchment area is...
divide. In the southern part of the wilderness the Kelsey National Recreation Trail begins in the wilderness at Bear Lake and the experienced hiker can walk for 20+ miles to the Smith River. The most heavily visited areas are in the northwest corner of the region -- concentrated on trails that lead to lakes. Much of the area lacks trails and is difficult to access cross-country because of the dense brush. The Bigfoot Trail
Bigfoot Trail
The Bigfoot Trail is a U.S. long distance hiking trail in northern California . The trail begins in the Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness and ends in Redwood National Park at the Pacific Ocean near Crescent City, California. A major focus along the trail is conifer diversity, passing 32 species in...
traverses the crest of the wilderness from north to south, through some of the most remote areas.