Wilderness Areas in the United States

Ah Wilderness! The wild lands and waters of Earth provide essential habitats for wildlife and ensure the proper function of native ecosystems. Wilderness is nature in its most raw and unspoiled condition. So, where is wilderness? Wilderness is still found in areas like the deep red canyons of Utah, the high emerald mountains of Colorado, the pristine alpine lakes of New Mexico, the Badlands of South Dakota, the Everglades of Florida, the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, and the deserts of Arizona. Sadly, wilderness is nearly gone from many areas in the United States and in other developed regions of the world.

The table below lists details about wilderness for all 50 states and is ordered by total wilderness acreage. However, some states are much larger than others and so we established a grade for each state based on the percent of the state that is wilderness (for example, Texas receives an F because it is a large state with very little wilderness [0.05%], whereas New Hampshire receives a B because it is a small state with relatively more wilderness [1.79%] ). Read the The Wilderness Act of 1964 to find out how wilderness is defined, created, and managed. Read more about the size, location, management, and designation of wilderness areas in the United States by reading a special fact sheet about wilderness (PDF - 142 KB) compiled by the Nicodemus Wilderness Project.