Mount Jefferson Wilderness
Five glaciers mantle the slopes of stately Mount Jefferson, the dominant feature in this region of the High Cascades: Whitewater, Waldo, Milk Creek, Russell, and Jefferson Park. At 10,497 feet, Mount Jefferson...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 109,098 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1968, by Congress |
| Center point | 44.5909, -121.8346 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 9) |
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.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 50 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
38 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 day hiking. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 9 mi
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Fire nearby
- WildfireBench
24 mi from the center point · 67,071 acres · 90% contained
- WildfireAustin
30 mi from the center point · 12,881 acres · 87% contained
- WildfireThe Narrows
40 mi from the center point · 305 acres · 98% contained
- WildfireGrasshopper
48 mi from the center point · 93,996 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
- 0.5 miSantiam Pass Ski Lodge ↗Sisters, OR
- 1.3 miIndependence Prairie Ranger Station ↗Marion Forks, OR
- 1.8 miMarion Forks Guard Station ↗Marion Forks, OR
- 3.1 miOlallie Lake Guard Station ↗Estacada, OR
- 5.7 miOlallie Meadows Guard Station ↗Estacada, OR
- 8.5 miCamp Sherman Community Hall ↗Camp Sherman, OR
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Mount Jefferson Wilderness?
109,098 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Mount Jefferson Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Mount Jefferson Wilderness in?
Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Mount Jefferson Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1968.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Mount Jefferson Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Sheep Springs Horse Camp, 0.1 miles out. 50 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
Where are the trailheads in Mount Jefferson Wilderness?
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site here, including 1 day hiking. Each one links to its Forest Service page.
Source: Trailheads and sites
How do I get to Mount Jefferson Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 44.591, -121.835. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Mount Jefferson Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Bench at 24 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Mount Jefferson Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 9 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 Mount Jefferson Wilderness?
6 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Santiam Pass Ski Lodge 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.