Oregon Badlands Wilderness
The Oregon Badlands Wilderness holds a number of remarkable and exciting landforms and geologic features. Most of the area includes the rugged Badlands volcano, which has features of inflated lava. Windblown volcanic ash and eroded lava make up the sandy, light-colored soil that covers the low and flat places in these fields of lava. Dry River, active during each of several ice ages, marks the southeast boundary between two volcanic areas–Badlands volcano and the Horse Ridge volcanoes. Earth movements along the Brothers Fault Zone have faulted and sliced up the old Horse Ridge volcanoes but not Badlands volcano. The Badlands formed in an unusual way.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 29,182 acres |
| Designated | 2009, by Congress |
| Center point | 44.01° N, 121.02° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 23) |
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.
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 3 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.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedNewberry Piles 2026 Rx
15 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
- 9.2 miNew Taggart Hotel ↗Bend, OR
- 9.2 miDowning Building ↗Bend, OR
- 9.3 miO'Kane Building ↗Bend, OR
- 9.3 miSphier, D.h., Building ↗Bend, OR
- 9.3 mi
- 9.4 miJones, Simpson E., House ↗Bend, OR
- 9.4 miOld Us Post Office ↗Bend, OR
- 9.4 miGoodwillie--Allen House ↗Bend, OR
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Oregon
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Oregon Badlands Wilderness?
29,182 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Oregon Badlands Wilderness?
The Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Oregon Badlands Wilderness in?
Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Oregon Badlands Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2009.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Oregon Badlands 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 Oregon Badlands Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 44.005° N, 121.016° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Oregon Badlands Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Newberry Piles 2026 Rx at 15 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Oregon Badlands Wilderness?
The National Register has 25 listings within 15 miles, including New Taggart Hotel and Downing Building.
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.