Established under the Utah Wilderness Act of 1984, Ashdown Gorge Wilderness designated 6,750 acres of the Dixie National Forest. Its elevation ranges from 8,000 to 10,400 feet above sea level. The area was formed through faulting and erosion of the multi-colored Claron limestone, and these limestone formations support some of the oldest living things, the bristlecone pine. Wilderness areas are set aside to protect resources for future generations.