Please bury canine waste. Recreational livestock must be held or confined more than 100' from other campsites and more than 200' from lakes and streams. Enjoy the sounds of nature. Leave radios and tape players at home. Please reserve cellular phone and two-way radio communication for emergency use only.
Violators are subject to fines.
Do your part to ensure the future of Desolation as an enduring wilderness resource. The land which became Desolation Wilderness was part of the Lake Tahoe Forest Reserve, established in 1899. In 1910, when the first tourists were beginning to make their way over the narrow dirt roads of Echo and Donner summits, the are was made part of the newly formed Eldorado National Forest. The are was named the Desolation Valley Primitive Area in 1931, and in 1969 Desolation Wilderness was Congressionally designated and included in the National Wilderness Preservation System. This unique area now totals 63,960 acres of wilderness land which is ours to enjoy, protect, and care for.