USFS · Oregon

Bridge Creek Wilderness

Bridge Creek drains northeasterly from the edge of the summit of the Ochoco Mountains, essentially dividing the Wilderness into two meadow-filled plateaus. The peaks of East Point and North Point look across this small Wilderness from 6,625 feet and 6,607 feet, respectively. The view from North Point's 600-foot cliff face is particularly breathtaking. Water gurgles perennially from five springs: Thompson, Pisgah, Masterson, Nelson, and Maxwell. Most of the 30 inches of annual precipitation falls as winter snow on a forest dominated by fir and larch with streaks of pine and clearings of sagebrush and bunchgrass. In the central core of the area, you'll find stands of white fir and lodgepole pine nearing 100 years in age.

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Bridge Creek Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateOregon
Size5,337 acres
Designated1984, by Congress
Center point44.48° N, 120.20° W
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 12)

Boundary map

1 outline

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site

The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Bridge Creek Wilderness30°40°50°60°70°January: 1.17 inches of precipitationFebruary: 1.08 inches of precipitationMarch: 1.22 inches of precipitationApril: 1.66 inches of precipitationMay: 1.94 inches of precipitationJune: 1.45 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.51 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.46 inches of precipitationSeptember: 0.50 inches of precipitationOctober: 1.18 inches of precipitationNovember: 1.34 inches of precipitationDecember: 1.23 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 34.2°F averageFebruary: 36.2°F averageMarch: 40.8°F averageApril: 45.1°F averageMay: 52.3°F averageJune: 58.1°F averageJuly: 67.2°F averageAugust: 66.7°F averageSeptember: 59.7°F averageOctober: 49.5°F averageNovember: 39.8°F averageDecember: 33.1°F average0 in0.5 in1 in1.5 in2 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Mitchell 2 E, 8 miles from the center point at 3,320 feet, station USC00355638 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 14 inches a year. The station sits about 2,500 feet lower than the center point, so temperatures on the ground run cooler.

Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

None of the 6 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

Trailheads and sites

Forest Service directory · 1

The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 backpacking. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.

Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

Guidebooks for Oregon

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Pacific Crest Trail: Oregon and Washington
    Andy Selters, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Oregon's Ancient Forests
    Chandra LeGue, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Backpacking Oregon
    Douglas Lorain, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best dog hikes Oregon
    FalconGuides (Publisher), 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best hikes near Portland, Oregon
    Fred Barstad, 2016
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Bridge Creek Wilderness?

5,337 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Bridge Creek Wilderness?

The U.S. Forest Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Bridge Creek Wilderness in?

Oregon.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Bridge Creek Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1984.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Bridge Creek Wilderness?

Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.

Source: Where to camp

How do I get to Bridge Creek Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 44.477° N, 120.203° W. John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is 17 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Which national parks are near Bridge Creek Wilderness?

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument (17 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.

Source: Nearby on the other atlases

Sources

  • Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
  • Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
  • Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
  • Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
  • Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.