Menagerie Wilderness
Technical rock climbers travel substantial distances to test their skills on the series of weird rock pinnacles that dominates Menagerie Wilderness. Each is named after a different animal–Roosters Tail, Chicken Rock, Hen Rock, Turkey Monster, and North and South Rabbit Ears are a few examples. The most popular is Rooster Rock, which you can ascend with 5.4 climbing skills (the routes on these stony towers rate to at least 5.9). Two main routes–the Rooster Rock Trail (2.1 miles) and the Trout Creek Trail (3.3 miles)–lead eventually to Rooster Rock. To see the rest of the "menagerie," you'll have to hike cross-country over rugged terrain. This area is used year-round by day-trippers.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 4,965 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 44.42° N, 122.32° 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
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 9 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
3 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 5 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Trout Creek | 3.4 | |
| Rooster Rock | 1.5 | |
| Walton Ranch Interpretive ↗ | 0.3 |
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
- PrescribedTriple Butte Rx
44 mi from the center point · 40 acres
- PrescribedSlow Dxp/Lemiti Piles Rx - West
44 mi from the center point
- PrescribedSpike Timber Sale Piles Rx - West
44 mi from the center point
- WildfireAustin
46 mi from the center point · 12,888 acres · 98% contained
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
- 6.9 miShort Bridge ↗Cascadia, 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 Menagerie Wilderness?
4,965 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Menagerie Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Menagerie Wilderness in?
Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Menagerie Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Menagerie 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 Menagerie Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 44.417° N, 122.315° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Menagerie Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Triple Butte Rx at 44 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Menagerie Wilderness?
The National Register has 1 listing within 15 miles, including Short Bridge.
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.