Grassy Knob Wilderness
Covered in a tangled rain forest of coniferous evergreens thick with an ankle-grabbing understory, this Wilderness nurtures the fragrant Port Orford cedar, drooping with its characteristic twisting limbs in rare stands of old growth with some trunks exceeding six feet in diameter. The red of vine maple brightens moss-laden glens come autumn, while winter brings an average of 130 inches of chilly rain born in the nearby Pacific. Grassy Knob Wilderness lies rugged and steep. Elevations vary from almost sea level to more than 2,000 feet on summits that include Grassy Knob, at 2,342 feet, on the western boundary and borders the Elk River on its southern boundary.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 17,176 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 42.75° N, 124.34° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 7) |
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.
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 5 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
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 trailhead. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 2 miGrassy Knob Trailhead ↗Trailhead
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
1 named Forest Service trail enters this wilderness, under a mile in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Grassy Knob | 0.2 |
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.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 4 miSixes Hotel ↗Sixes, OR
- 4.5 miPort Orford City Jail ↗Port Orford, OR
- 4.6 miLindberg, Peter John, House ↗Port Orford, OR
- 7.4 miHughes, Patrick, House ↗Sixes, OR
- 8.3 miCape Blanco Lighthouse ↗Sixes, OR
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Oregon
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Grassy Knob Wilderness?
17,176 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Grassy Knob Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Grassy Knob Wilderness in?
Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Grassy Knob Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Grassy Knob 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 Grassy Knob Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 42.746° N, 124.338° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Are there historic places near Grassy Knob Wilderness?
The National Register has 5 listings within 15 miles, including Sixes Hotel and Port Orford City Jail.
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.