Soda Mountains Wilderness Area

Soda Mountains Wilderness Area encompasses nearly 85,000 acres of federally protected backcountry in California, managed by the Bureau of Land Management as a primitive, non-motorized landscape. This is genuine wilderness—no roads, no motors, no mechanized travel of any kind. You'll find solitude and self-reliance rewarded here: hiking and backpacking are the primary ways to experience the terrain, and the silence and isolation are part of the draw.

Visiting means accepting wilderness rules as a real constraint, not a suggestion. Leave No Trace principles aren't optional—they're the only way to keep the area wild and usable for others. Bring water, a map, and the skills to navigate and camp without trace. Access is limited to foot travel, and the lack of maintained infrastructure is both the point and the reality. Spring through fall offer the most reliable conditions, though desert conditions can shift quickly. Come prepared for genuine backcountry travel, not a weekend stroll.