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...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 120,694 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 44.9002, -118.5399 |
| 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.
Where to camp
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary and 26 more 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
15 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
- WildfireSalmon
13 mi from the center point · 1,433 acres · 95% contained
- WildfireMccully
14 mi from the center point · 13,604 acres · 91% contained
- PrescribedTop Ranch Rx
45 mi from the center point
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.
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?
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary, including Peavy Cabin. 27 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 North Fork John Day Wilderness?
The Forest Service lists 2 recreation sites here, including 2 trailheads. Each one links to its Forest Service page.
Source: Trailheads and sites
How do I get to North Fork John Day Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 44.900, -118.540. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near North Fork John Day Wilderness right now?
3 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Salmon at 13 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at North Fork John Day Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 12 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 North Fork John Day Wilderness?
4 National Register 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.