Formerly known as the Salmon-Trinity Alps Primitive Area, the acreage of this rugged and isolated Wilderness of mountain ridges and deep canyons was almost doubled by the California Wilderness Act of 1984. Drained in the south by the Wild and Scenic Trinity River and in the north by the Wild and Scenic Salmon River, numerous rushing streams feed into the rivers, many of them emerging from the region's 55 lakes. Scattered stands of timber, some of them virgin, are opened by large meadows wild with flowers in July and August, and shadowed by barren rock cliffs and stark peaks with elevations up to about 9,000 feet. Black bears are common (despite the name, they're often colored brown or blond), sharing the area with an abundance of other wildlife species. As much as 12 feet of snow falls on the high country every year.
The Pacific Crest Trail crosses about eight miles of the northern Wilderness, one piece of an extensive and dazzlingly scenic trail system. Numerous loop hikes requiring three to seven days to complete will tempt you to stay longer in this wildland. There are many regions of the Wilderness where you should be able to find extreme solitude.