Escudilla Wilderness
The 2011 Wallow Fire burned much of this wilderness’ namesake mountain, but it’s already renewing itself, with aspen thickets and native grasses growing amid burned trees. Large elk herds can be found on Escudilla Mountain, and naturalist Aldo Leopold wrote about the peak in A Sand County Almanac.

Location: North of Alpine
Established: 1984
Size: 5,200 acres
Managed by: U.S. Forest Service
Contact: Alpine Ranger District, 928-339-4384 or www.fs.usda.gov/asnf


Grand Wash Cliffs Wilderness
Located in Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, this land is among the most remote and infrequently visited in the world. The wilderness features rugged canyons, scenic escarpments and colorful sandstone buttes. One maintained 11-mile trail traverses the length of the wilderness.

Location: West of Grand Canyon National Park
Established: 1984
Size: 37,030 acres
Managed by: Bureau of Land Management
Contact: Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, 435-688-3200 or www.blm.gov/arizona


Mount Tipton Wilderness
You’ll find Joshua trees, among Nature’s most bizarre-looking plants, in this wilderness, which includes part of the imposing Cerbat Mountains. Mount Tipton, at 7,148 feet, dominates the area. Mule deer, bobcats and Gambel’s quail can be found here. Bring plenty of water if you plan to stay awhile.

Location: North of Kingman
Established: 1990
Size: 31,380 acres
Managed by: Bureau of Land Management
Contact: Kingman Field Office, 928-718-3700 or www.blm.gov/arizona

EDITOR’S NOTE: Each afternoon in September, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, we’re spotlighting three of Arizona’s 90 wilderness areas. For more information about any of the state’s wilderness areas, visit Wilderness.net, a collaboration between several wilderness-related organizations. The information here comes from that site and the wilderness areas’ managing agencies. Always contact the managing agency before visiting a wilderness to learn about any restrictions that may be in effect. To see our entire Wild Arizona series, click here.