Opal Creek Wilderness
Opal Creek Wilderness features steep and rugged forested hillsides. The eastern portion of the area encompasses the headwaters of two major creeks (Battle Axe Creek and Opal Creek) which join to become the Little North Santiam River. The western portion of the area is dominated by two prominent peaks; Whetstone and Henline Mountains, which offer scenic vantage points and were once used as fire lookout sites. Opal Creek Wilderness can be reached via Oregon State Highway 22 and Marion County North Fork Road. The county road becomes Forest Road 2209 at the forest boundary. This road parallels the boundary of the western portion of the Wilderness.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 20,777 acres |
| Designated | 1996, by Congress |
| Center point | 44.84° N, 122.17° 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 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 14 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
2 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 trailhead. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 5 miFrench Creek Trailhead - West ↗Trailhead
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
16 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 55 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Bagby ↗ | 11.5 | |
| Twin Lakes ↗ | 7 | |
| Whetstone Mountain ↗ | 6.4 | |
| French Creek Ridge ↗ | 6.1 | |
| Battle Axe Creek | 4.2 | |
| Whetstone | 3.1 | |
| Beachie | 2.7 | |
| Henline Mountain | 2.7 | |
| Kopetski / Opal Creek | 2.6 | |
| Nasty Rock | 2.3 |
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
- WildfireAustin
17 mi from the center point · 12,888 acres · 98% contained
- PrescribedTimber Lake/Ripplebrook Admin Piles Rx - West
18 mi from the center point
- PrescribedSpike Timber Sale Piles Rx - West
18 mi from the center point
- PrescribedFawn Stew Piles Rx - West
18 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
- 4 miBagby Guard Station ↗Estacada, OR
- 8.8 miHinkle--Reid House ↗Mill City, OR
- 9.1 miMill City Southern Pacific Rail Road (sprr) Bridge ↗Mill City, 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 Opal Creek Wilderness?
20,777 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Opal Creek Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Opal Creek Wilderness in?
Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Opal Creek Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1996.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Opal Creek 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 Opal Creek Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 44.842° N, 122.166° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Opal Creek Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Austin at 17 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Opal Creek Wilderness?
The National Register has 3 listings within 15 miles, including Bagby Guard Station and Hinkle--Reid House.
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.