Favorite wilderness area?

[Npike]

just curious what everyone’s favorite “area” would be. I haven’t been to too many areas so far, and I’m curious where everyone’s “default” hiking/ backpacking areas are. Also, do you think certain areas are defined by certain characteristics? For example, are some wilderness areas (John Muir wilderness, golden trout) more likely to be lower elevations? More Meadows? Jagged peaks? Or is where you hike based on time constraints?

[c9h13no3]

Different places are good in different seasons. I go to the Emigrant, Yosemite & Ventana wilderness the most, but I live near San Francisco and they're great early season. East side spots are best in the fall, when roads to get there are open and their aspens are on fire. They've all got their own charms.

[SSSdave]

My log shows out of 203 backpacks, 61 solely into John Muir W and another 17 into John Muir W plus Kings Canyon thus 78 into John Muir Wilderness. Next closest is Yosemite wilderness with 38 trips.

[balzaccom]

We do Emigrant a lot because we have a cabin nearby....but Hoover, Ansel Adams, John Muir, Yosemite, SEKI....

Why choose one?

[markskor]

Anywhere Sierra between Kennedy Meadows south...and Kennedy Meadows north.

[balzaccom]

Anywhere Sierra between Kennedy Meadows south...and Kennedy Meadows north.

Nice answer!

But I would also add in Carson Iceberg....and the Canyon of the Mokelumne, too!

[freestone]

Obviously all Wilderness areas are good, but my favorites have a lot to do with the distance from my home, fishing opportunity, solitude, ruggedness and scenery so John Muir, San Rafael, Dick Smith and Silver Peak in that order are at the top of the list for now. John Muir is the farthest but has the best of everything I like.

And please, no compromises to the Wilderness Act!

[LMBSGV]

Choosing a favorite wilderness area is akin to asking a parent to choose a favorite child. Almost anywhere and everywhere I've visited that's wilderness and the opportunity for solitude. For me, the most visited is Point Reyes since it’s 20 minutes from my house.

[dave54]

The one I am in at the time?

Most of us probably have proximity bias to the closest one. That would be Caribou for me, although the mosquitoes limit access to a only a couple months per year.

A lot of new wilderness gets added to the system with each new administration. Some of them leaves me scratching my head with "Why was this area added? Definitely not unique or pristine." If we regard the National Wilderness Preservation System as the crown jewels of our public lands, why are we devaluing the collection with cheap plastic trinkets? Let's emphasize quality over quantity.

[c9h13no3]

A lot of new wilderness gets added to the system with each new administration. Some of them leaves me scratching my head with "Why was this area added? Definitely not unique or pristine." If we regard the National Wilderness Preservation System as the crown jewels of our public lands, why are we devaluing the collection with cheap plastic trinkets? Let's emphasize quality over quantity.

The counter to this is that a lot of new wilderness needs to be added in the East. The West is full of these types of recreational areas, while there's a paucity of options back east.