Eagle Cap Wilderness
Oregon's largest Wilderness encompasses the heart of the Wallowa Mountains, once home to the Nez Perce Indians. It also qualifies as the state's largest continuous alpine area and encompasses Legore Lake...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 355,553 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 45.2398, -117.4094 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 16) |
Boundary map
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.
Where to camp
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary and 26 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
15 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 campground. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 4 miIrondyke Forest Camp ↗Campground · June
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedWeasel Rx
45 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
- 2.2 miCornucopia Jailhouse ↗Cornucopia, OR
- 2.7 miFirst Bank of Joseph ↗Joseph, OR
- 2.8 mi
- 3.5 miFlora School ↗Flora, OR
- 4.8 miO.k. Theatre ↗Enterprise, OR
- 4.8 miGotter Hotel ↗Enterprise, OR
- 4.8 miLostine Pharmacy ↗Lostine, OR
- 4.9 miWallowa County Courthouse ↗Enterprise, OR
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Eagle Cap Wilderness?
355,553 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Eagle Cap Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Eagle Cap Wilderness in?
Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Eagle Cap Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Eagle Cap Wilderness?
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary, including Irondyke Forest Camp. 27 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
Where are the trailheads in Eagle Cap Wilderness?
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site here, including 1 campground campground. Each one links to its Forest Service page.
Source: Trailheads and sites
How do I get to Eagle Cap Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 45.240, -117.409. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Eagle Cap Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Weasel Rx at 45 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Eagle Cap Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 16 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 Eagle Cap Wilderness?
20 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Cornucopia Jailhouse and First Bank of Joseph.
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.