Gearhart Mountain Wilderness
At 8,364 feet, Gearhart Mountain stands higher than all the other volcanic domes in this Wilderness of high mountain meadows, cirques, and U-shaped valleys. Picturesque rock formations cap most of the ridgelines, offering sweeping views of the artistic sculpturings of long-vanished glaciers. There is only one lake in the Wilderness, Blue Lake. The Wild and Scenic North Fork Sprague River sweeps past the northern boundary of the area. Lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine, whitebark pine, and white fir dominate the vegetation. The main thoroughfare, Gearhart Mountain Trail, provides about 13 miles of access for foot and horse traffic along the main ridge and to the well-visited shores of Blue Lake.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 22,614 acres |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 42.51° N, 120.85° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 10) |
Boundary map
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.
Weather by month
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
None of the 8 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.
Trails
2 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 18 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Gearhart Mountain Trail ↗ | 12.2 | |
| Boulder Springs ↗ | 6 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedGoodlow Piles Rx
29 mi from the center point
- PrescribedPicture Rock Piles Rx
37 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
- 9.1 miBly Ranger Station ↗Bly, OR
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Oregon
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Gearhart Mountain Wilderness?
22,614 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Gearhart Mountain Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Gearhart Mountain Wilderness in?
Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Gearhart Mountain Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Gearhart Mountain 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 Gearhart Mountain Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 42.511° N, 120.851° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Gearhart Mountain Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Goodlow Piles Rx at 29 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Gearhart Mountain Wilderness?
The National Register has 1 listing within 15 miles, including Bly Ranger Station.
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.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- 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.