Oregon Islands Wilderness
A string of over 1,854 named, unnamed, surveyed, and unsurveyed rocks, reefs, islets, and islands lie within three miles offshore and mirror almost the entire length of the Oregon coast from Tillamook Head to the California border. These precious chunks of offshore lands above the line of mean high tide, protected as the Oregon Islands Wilderness and as part of the Oregon Islands NWR, provide a nesting habitat for an estimated 1.2 million seabirds, more habitat than along the coastlines of California and Washington combined. Beginning in April, black-and-white common murres throng the islands.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 593 acres |
| Designated | 1970, by Congress |
| Center point | 42.07° N, 124.32° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 31) |
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 11 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.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 0.6 miLook-Out on Cape Foulweather, The ↗Otter Rock, OR
- 0.9 miCape Blanco Lighthouse ↗Sixes, OR
- 1 miHughes, Patrick, House ↗Sixes, OR
- 1 miCentral Building ↗Brookings, OR
- 1.2 miDepoe Bay Ocean Wayside ↗Depoe Bay, OR
- 1.3 miTillamook Rock Lighthouse ↗Seaside, OR
- 1.3 miDepoe Bay Bridge No. 01388 ↗Depoe Bay, OR
- 1.3 miBreuer Building ↗Bandon, 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 Oregon Islands Wilderness?
593 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Oregon Islands Wilderness?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Oregon Islands Wilderness in?
Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Oregon Islands Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1970.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Oregon Islands 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 Islands Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 42.066° N, 124.323° W. Lewis and Clark National Historical Park is 18 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Which national parks are near Oregon Islands Wilderness?
Lewis and Clark National Historical Park (18 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Oregon Islands Wilderness?
The National Register has 48 listings within 15 miles, including Look-Out on Cape Foulweather, The and Cape Blanco Lighthouse.
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.