Yuki Wilderness

The 53,887 acre Yuki Wilderness was established in 2006 by Public Law 109-362, the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act. The area has been described as a rugged land containing steep canyons with long, gentle ridges in between. It was named in honor of the Yuki Tribe, who once called this area home. Management of the area is shared between the Mendocino National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management, Arcata Field Office. The Yuki Wilderness ranges in elevation from almost 6,500 feet near Windy Gap in the southeast to roughly 1,150 feet along the Middle Fork Eel River. When visiting the Yuki you will experience a wide variety of vegetation, including grasslands, chaparral thickets, oak groves and forests of Shasta red fir, white fir, Jeffrey pine, sugar pine, ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir and incense cedar. Six of California's fifteen species of oaks are found within the Yuki Wilderness. If you visit during the spring months the Yuki will delight you with its spectacular wildflower displays! The Middle Fork Eel Wild and Scenic River flows through the northwestern portion of the Yuki Wilderness, and is home to rainbow trout, and threatened runs of steelhead and Chinook salmon. It is estimated that the river supports over one-third of California's remaining summer-run steelhead trout population. In addition, many interesting animals call the area home, including bald eagle, pine marten, goshawk, northern spotted owl, prairie falcon, river otter, beaver, tule elk, mountain lion, black bear, porcupine, ringtail, gray fox, badger, golden eagle, blue grouse and pileated woodpecker. PDF MAP »