wilderness area

noun

often capitalized W&A

: an often large tract of public land maintained essentially in its natural state and protected against introduction of intrusive artifacts (such as roads and buildings)

Examples of wilderness area in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

However, environmental advocates and local residents are raising alarms over the mine's proximity to and the pristine Porcupine Mountains, a 60,000-acre wilderness area. —Tom Howarth, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024

State and federal agencies are limited in their ability to fence off aspen stands in the wilderness area, so forest managers have turned to these hunting permits as a tool to help the young aspen in reaching maturity. —John Leos, The Arizona Republic, 18 Nov. 2024

And if that's not enough, the Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness area, the largest contiguous wilderness area in the Lower 48, lies just east of McCall. —Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 20 Oct. 2024

There’s heaps to see on down days from breweries to galleries, all surrounded by vast, cascading peaks and untouched nature (notably, the state’s largest wilderness area: the High Peaks). —Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined above