North Fork John Day Wilderness
The North Fork John Day drainage bustled with gold and silver mining operations in the mid-1800s, and traces of the thousands of hopefuls who made off with an estimated 10 million dollars in ore are still visible in this Wilderness. As you hike on one of the many trails you will see old mining structures, building foundations, and dredged ditches as well as the trash dumps left behind by the miners. But the rolling benchlands, granite outcroppings, and the rugged gorge of the North Fork John Day River have recovered enough to provide an excellent Wilderness setting here in the Blue Mountains. The Wilderness encompasses two entire subranges: the Greenhorn Mountains and the ragged Elkhorn Mountains.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 120,694 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 44.90° N, 118.54° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 12) |
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 21 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
9 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 2 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 2 trailheads. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 7 miCrane Creek Trailhead ↗Trailhead · Late May
- 14 miPeavy Trailhead ↗Trailhead · June
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Fire nearby
- WildfireMccully
14 mi from the center point · 13,604 acres · 91% contained
- PrescribedGalena Rx
17 mi from the center point · 531 acres
- PrescribedBirdtrack Unit 620 Rx
31 mi from the center point · 200 acres
- PrescribedBlue Mt Pile Burning Rx
39 mi from the center point · 458 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
- 8.3 miSuperintendent's House ↗Sumpter, OR
- 8.5 miSumpter Valley Gold Dredge (dredge) ↗Sumpter, OR
- 11.3 miMaxwell, James O., Farmstead ↗Haines, OR
- 14.2 miAntlers Guard Station ↗Whitney, 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 North Fork John Day Wilderness?
120,694 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages North Fork John Day Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is North Fork John Day Wilderness in?
Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was North Fork John Day Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at North Fork John Day 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 North Fork John Day Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 44.900° N, 118.540° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near North Fork John Day Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Mccully at 14 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near North Fork John Day Wilderness?
The National Register has 4 listings within 15 miles, including Superintendent's House and Sumpter Valley Gold Dredge (dredge).
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.