David777
Senior Member
- Location
- Silicon Valley
A government designated wilderness area is a region where the land is in a natural state; where impacts from human activities are minimal—that is, a wilderness. It might also be called a wild or natural area. Many have visited National Parks which some indeed have designated wilderness areas within their boundaries but are never adjacent to highways and roads thus always require hiking. Maybe you visited a park and went hiking but are uncertain if you hiked into an actual wilderness? On trails such boundaries are always obvious because of entry signs. If you actually spent a night out in the backcountry, you are likely to have obtained a Wilderness Permit. In any case one might look at this map and zoom in where you hiked to see if true:
https://umontana.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=a415bca07f0a4bee9f0e894b0db5c3b6
There are 803 areas within the USA's National Wilderness Preservation System:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wilderness_areas_of_the_United_States
Another 74 areas are within state or tribal jurisdictions:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._state_and_tribal_wilderness_areas
This person has overnight backpacked 215 times including a couple times during each of the last two pandemic years. Also day hiked into wilderness countless times. I like to think it is a primary reason I've remained fit over decades despite being an octogenarian.
https://umontana.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=a415bca07f0a4bee9f0e894b0db5c3b6
There are 803 areas within the USA's National Wilderness Preservation System:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wilderness_areas_of_the_United_States
Another 74 areas are within state or tribal jurisdictions:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._state_and_tribal_wilderness_areas
This person has overnight backpacked 215 times including a couple times during each of the last two pandemic years. Also day hiked into wilderness countless times. I like to think it is a primary reason I've remained fit over decades despite being an octogenarian.