A large part of the creek within Lake County is designated a Wildlife Area by the state of California and the federal Bureau of Land Management, on which vehicles are prohibited but hiking, primitive camping, and hunting are allowed. The North Fork and Bear Creek each host a growing population of the rare tule elk, plus winter populations of bald eagles. The ruggedness of the area tends to ensure its isolation from human activity. In 2006 the United States Congress designated 27,245 acres (110 km2) of the area as the federally protected Cache Creek Wilderness. Cache Creek Conservancy has restored a 130-acre area downstream in the watershed.