Wilderness Areas Life List

by Drew Hanson

Federally designated Wilderness Areas are places where nature reigns supreme, evidence of people is minimal and humanity's oldest form of locomotion is the best (and often only) way to get around. Protected by act of Congress and the President's signature, these are places to get in touch with your primitive self. An interactive map of current Wilderness Areas is at http://www.wilderness.net/map.cfm

In order to keep Wilderness Areas wild, we need to practice Leave No Trace outdoor ethics when visiting them. "Take only pictures, leave only footprints" is a handy motto but there is much more to using a Wilderness Area responsibly. Leave No Trace's website is a good place to start.

Here is every area of the National Wilderness Preservation System in the United States where I have hiked or backpacked.

1. Isle Royale Wilderness, MI, backpacked six days with school classmates and teachers in 1981
2. Yosemite Wilderness, CA, backpacked three days solo in June, 1992 and six days with AB in September, 1999

   

   Drew in Yosemite

3. John Muir Wilderness, CA, backpacked 21 days with Outward Bound in June-July, 1992
4. Phillip Burton Wilderness, Point Reyes National Park, CA, backpacked three days solo in July, 1992
5. King Range Wilderness, CA, backpacked three days solo in July, 1992
6. Three Sisters Wilderness, OR, backpacked three days solo in August, 1992 and backpacked three days with MM and KK in August, 2003
7. Eagle Cap Wilderness, OR, backpacked three days and summited solo in August, 1992
8. Porcupine Lake Wilderness, WI, day hiked with BI in February, 1993
9. Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, ID-MT, backpacked four days with MR in 1993
10. Sylvania Wilderness, MI, day hiked with a friend in March, 1994
11. Blackjack Springs Wilderness, WI, backpacked three days with friends in June, 1994 and a few times since
12. Theodore Roosevelt Wilderness, ND, backpacked four days with friends in June, 1994
13. Rainbow Lake Wilderness, WI, backpacked three days with MR in July, 1994
14. Joyce Kilmer Wilderness, NC, backpacked three days with four friends in August, 1994
15. Whisker Lake Wilderness, WI, backpacked two days with HR in November, 1994
16. Lower Buffalo River Wilderness, AR, backpacked four days with GL in March, 1995
17. Gaylord Nelson Wilderness, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, WI, backpacked three days solo on Stockton Island in September, 1995
18. San Gorgonio Wilderness, CA, backpacked three days with LM in May, 1996 
19. Welcome Creek Wilderness, MT, day hiked with SH, SH, PS and other friends in August, 1996 
20. Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, MT, backpacked three days with SH in August, 1996
21. Mount Washington Wilderness, OR, backpacked three days with KM and SJ in July, 1997
22. Daniel Evans Wilderness, Olympic National Park, WA, backpacked along the coast three days with GL in July, 1997
23. Beaver Basin Wilderness, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, MI, backpacked six days with JS in August, 1997 and day hiked solo in 2010
24. Rock River Canyon Wilderness, MI, day hiked with JS in August, 1997
25. Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness, MI, backpacked three days with LM in May, 1998
26. Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness, MT, backpacked two days solo in July, 1998
27. Mount Rainier Wilderness, WA, backpacked two days solo in September, 1999 and backpacked three days solo in August, 2002
28. Desolation Wilderness, CA, day hiked with a group in September, 1999 
29. Mount Jefferson Wilderness, OR, backpacked three days with KK and SJ in October, 2000
30. Mount Hood Wilderness, OR, day hiked with a group in October, 2000 
31. Joseph Battell Wilderness, VT, backpacked for four days on the Long Trail with BB in September, 2001
32. Bell Mountain Wilderness, MO, backpacked four days and summited solo in May, 2002
33. Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness, MI, day hiked solo in June, 2003
34. Goat Rocks Wilderness, WA, backpacked five days with MM and SM in August, 2003
35. Leatherwood Wilderness, AR, backpacked three days solo in April, 2004
36. Table Top Wilderness, AZ, day hiked and summited with SK in 2006
37. Black Elk Wilderness, SD, day hiked and summited with GH in June, 2014
38. Pope Agie Wilderness, Wind River Range, WY, backpacked five nights with DP in July, 2017 
39. Clifty Wilderness, KY, day hiked with GH in June, 2018
40. Shining Rock Wilderness, NC, backpacked two days solo in June, 2018
41. Panther Den Wilderness, IL, December, 2018
42. Bald Knob Wilderness, IL, December, 2018
43. Lusk Creek Wilderness, IL, December, 2018
44. Clear Springs Wilderness, IL, December, 2018
45. Mount Evans Wilderness, CO, July, 2019
46. West Elk Wilderness, CO, July, 2019
47. Crab Orchard Wilderness, IL, with GH November, 2020
48. Blood Mountain Wilderness, GA, with GH November, 2020
49. Mark Trail Wilderness, GA, with GH, JD and ED in November, 2020
50. Brasstown Wilderness, GA, with GH, JD and ED in November, 2020
51. Bald River Gorge Wilderness, TN, with GH November, 2020
52. Horseshoe Bay Wilderness, MI, day hiked with CC in August, 2021
53. Sleeping Bear Dunes Wilderness, MI, day hiked with CC in August, 2021
54. Garden of the Gods Wilderness, IL, day hiked with CC, GH and QH in March, 2022
55. Great Sand Dunes Wilderness, CO, day hiked with family in June, 2023
56. Sangre de Christo Wilderness, CO, day hiked with family in June, 2023

Wilderness Areas are sometimes confused with National Parks. I have a separate National Park Life List.