USFS · Wilderness area · Oregon

Drift Creek Wilderness

The Drift Creek Wilderness (5,798 acres) is one of three small wilderness areas established on the Siuslaw National Forest by Act of Congress in 1984. Drift Creek Wilderness is located in the Oregon Coast...

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Drift Creek Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateOregon
Size5,792 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1984, by Congress
Center point44.4661, -123.9276
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 8)

Boundary map

1 outline

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground

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

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 5 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

Fire nearby

Within 50 miles · as of 2026-09-17
  • Prescribed
    Nestucca Rx

    48 mi from the center point

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 12 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Drift Creek Wilderness?

5,792 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Drift Creek Wilderness?

The U.S. Forest Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Drift Creek Wilderness in?

Oregon.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Drift Creek Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1984.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Drift Creek Wilderness?

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Canal Creek, 3 miles out. 5 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.

Source: Where to camp

How do I get to Drift Creek Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 44.466, -123.928. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Is there a fire near Drift Creek Wilderness right now?

1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Nestucca Rx at 48 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.

Source: Fire nearby

How dark is the night sky at Drift Creek Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 8 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Are there historic places near Drift Creek Wilderness?

12 National Register listings within 15 miles, including St. John's Episcopal Church and Pacific Spruce Saw Mill Tenant Houses.

Source: Register Atlas

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.