wilderness areas
Untouched natural lands
Wilderness areas are regions of land officially protected from development, roads, and motorized access.
In the United States, the Wilderness Act of 1964 established the legal framework for designating such areas within national forests, parks, and other public lands.
The designation preserves land in its natural state: The Sierra Nevada contains some of the country's largest wilderness areas.
Wilderness areas permit hiking and camping but prohibit logging, mining, and permanent structures.
- national parksProtected natural areas
- hiking trailsRecreational walking routes outdoors
- trail mapDiagram of hiking routes
- scenic overlookDesignated viewing location
- mountainsTall elevated landmasses
hiking · camping · rewilding · backcountry · bear country · primitive camping · biodiversity · bushcraft · off the grid · wildlife corridors · solitude · leave no trace · pack it out · ecological restoration · old growth · preservation · forests · tundra
- Appalachian ForestsAppalachian Trail, hardwood forest, hemlock, hickory, white oak
- outdoor recreationhiking, camping, fishing, swimming, skiing
- AlaskaFairbanks, Juneau, Denali, Sitka, Kodiak
- conservationconservation, wildlife, endangered, habitat, sanctuary
- ecosystemsrainforest, forest, desert, jungle, ocean
- Environmental Topicsconservation, biodiversity, extinction, climate change, habitat loss
wilderness areascities
Major populated areas
urban areas · metropolitan areas · industrial zones · built environment · metropolises
wilderness areasrecreational areas
Spaces designated for leisure
managed forests · campgrounds · resorts · golf courses · theme parks
wilderness areasfarmland
Agricultural terrain
agricultural land · plantations · strip mines · quarries · landfills