Hells Canyon Wilderness
Hells Canyon Wilderness is a subset of the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area (HCNRA), which straddles the border of northeastern Oregon and western Idaho. Split into two distinct halves by the Wild & Scenic Snake River, approximately one-third of HCNRA comprises the Hells Canyon Wilderness. A small portion of the Wilderness in Oregon is managed by the BLM. The Idaho side of the Wilderness is smaller than the Oregon side and encompasses the Seven Devils mountain range. On the Idaho side, the Wilderness stretches south from Pittsburg Landing for approximately 31 miles along the Snake River. In the summer, the temperature at the river often reaches 110 degrees F. After May, hiking in the canyon is very difficult due to heat.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service |
| States | Idaho, Oregon |
| Size | 217,747 acres |
| Designated | 1975, by Congress |
| Center point | 45.43° N, 116.61° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 16) |
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 15 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.
Show 4 moreHide
3 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trails
7 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 49 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Deep Creek ↗ | 14.4 | |
| West Fork Rapid River ↗ | 11.1 | |
| Trail Creek ↗ | 8.1 | |
| Bald Mountain ↗ | 6.7 | |
| Indian Springs | 3.4 | |
| Rankin Mill | 2.7 | |
| Dog Ridge | 2.6 |
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
- PrescribedRx Crooked Christie Srrd
18 mi from the center point · 126 acres
- PrescribedBrush Rx
23 mi from the center point · 2,000 acres
- PrescribedRailroad Rx
28 mi from the center point · 375 acres
- PrescribedCold Rx
33 mi from the center point · 1,094 acres
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
- 3.5 miHuntley, A. O., Barn ↗Cuprum, ID
- 3.8 miCollege Creek Ranger Station ↗Imnaha, OR
- 6.9 miAitken Barn ↗Riggins, ID
- 6.9 miRiggins High School ↗Riggins, ID
- 7 miRiggins Motel ↗Riggins, ID
- 11.9 miFoskett, Dr. Wilson, Home and Drugstore ↗White Bird, ID
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Idaho
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 Hells Canyon Wilderness?
217,747 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Hells Canyon Wilderness?
Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service share management. The Bureau of Land Management portion is the largest in the wilderness record.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Hells Canyon Wilderness in?
The boundary crosses Idaho and Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Hells Canyon Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1975.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Hells Canyon 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 Hells Canyon Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 45.425° N, 116.612° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Hells Canyon Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Rx Crooked Christie Srrd at 18 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Hells Canyon Wilderness?
The National Register has 6 listings within 15 miles, including Huntley, A. O., Barn and College Creek 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.