Middle Santiam Wilderness
Mature old-growth trees shadow virtually all of this Wilderness, with Douglas fir, western red cedar, and western hemlock at lower elevations and true firs higher up. Some of the trees, estimated to be...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 8,758 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 44.5239, -122.2170 |
| 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.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 13 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
1 more within ten miles is not listed here.
Fire nearby
- WildfireAustin
37 mi from the center point · 12,881 acres · 87% contained
- WildfireBench
43 mi from the center point · 67,071 acres · 90% contained
- WildfireThe Narrows
43 mi from the center point · 305 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
- 12.1 miMarion Forks Guard Station ↗Marion Forks, OR
- 12.6 miIndependence Prairie Ranger Station ↗Marion Forks, OR
- 14.4 miShort Bridge ↗Cascadia, OR
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Middle Santiam Wilderness?
8,758 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Middle Santiam Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Middle Santiam Wilderness in?
Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Middle Santiam Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Middle Santiam Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is South Pyramid Horse Camp, 1.7 miles out. 13 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Middle Santiam Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 44.524, -122.217. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Middle Santiam Wilderness right now?
3 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Austin at 37 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Middle Santiam Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 7 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Are there historic places near Middle Santiam Wilderness?
3 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Marion Forks Guard Station and Independence Prairie 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.
- 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.