Kalmiopsis Wilderness
This nearly 180,000 acre Wilderness includes the headwater basin of the Chetco and North Fork Smith Rivers and a portion of the Illinois River canyon. This is a harsh, rugged area with a unique character. Elevations range from 500 to 5,098 feet (Pearsoll Peak). The area is characterized by deep, rough canyons, sharp rock ridges and clear rushing mountain streams and rivers. Diversity of topography and geology provide excellent habitat for a wide variety of botanical species. The Kalmiopsis Wilderness is well known for it's diversity of plant life. Much of this diversity results from plant species adapting to life in harsh soils derived from peridotite and serpentinite rocks.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 180,103 acres |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 42.27° N, 123.94° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 13) |
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 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.
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.
- 6 mi
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
38 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 199 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Kalmiopsis Rim ↗ | 36.1 | |
| Illinois River ↗ | 27.4 | |
| Upper Chetco ↗ | 19.3 | |
| Tincup ↗ | 18.7 | |
| Little Chetco ↗ | 10.3 | |
| Chetco Divide ↗ | 9.7 | |
| North Fork Smith River ↗ | 9.5 | |
| Red Mountain ↗ | 7.9 | |
| Johnson Butte ↗ | 6.1 | |
| Pupp'S Camp Way ↗ | 5.4 |
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 miStore Gulch Guard Station No. 1020 ↗Cave Junction, OR
- 6.1 miWheeler Ridge Japanese Bombing Site ↗Brookings, OR
- 7.3 miSiskiyou Smokejumper Base ↗Cave Junction, OR
- 7.3 miSiskiyou Smokejumper Base (Boundary Increase) ↗Cave Junction, OR
- 8 miNauke, William and Nannie, House ↗Kerby, OR
- 9.5 miLogan Cut ↗Cave Junction, OR
- 10.5 miLogan Drain Ditches ↗Cave Junction, OR
- 11 miSt. Patrick's Roman Catholic Cemetery ↗Cave Junction, 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 Kalmiopsis Wilderness?
180,103 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Kalmiopsis Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Kalmiopsis Wilderness in?
Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Kalmiopsis Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Kalmiopsis 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 Kalmiopsis Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 42.275° N, 123.944° W. Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve is 21 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Which national parks are near Kalmiopsis Wilderness?
Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve (21 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Kalmiopsis Wilderness?
The National Register has 17 listings within 15 miles, including Store Gulch Guard Station No. 1020 and Wheeler Ridge Japanese Bombing Site.
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.