A legislated wilderness is an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled or unchanged by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain. Some of the key elements in a wilderness setting are solitude and freedom. These essential qualities are most sensitive to visitor behavior and the degree of restrictions placed on the use of a wilderness. Visit the Leave No Trace website to find out how to maintain your wilderness areas. This river segment is included within the Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
Trail access is poor.
A wide range of elevations and aspects from riverside to canyon rim provide numerous micro climates bering pinon-juniper woodland, ponderosa pine, and fir. River water levels vary widely as water is held or released by the El Vado Lake dam upstream, which supplies a changing flow for river runners. This 5,200-acre area is the smallest National Forest wilderness in the southwest. Situated adjacent to Bandelier Wilderness in Bandelier National Monument, the area provides a continuous expanse of primitive canyon-land environments similar to those found within the National Monument. The trail system accessing the area also provides access into the west side of Bandelier Wilderness with several trailheads located along Forest Road 289.