Roaring River Wilderness
The largest block of new wilderness designated in 2009 in Oregon is in the Roaring River Valley, a tributary of the Clackamas River. The Wilderness area is named after the Roaring River that flows through the area and is a tributary of the Clackamas River. Salmon and steelhead spawn in the Roaring River, and the area is thick with bears, cougars, mule deer, elk, spotted owls and pileated woodpeckers. Lupine and Indian paintbrush are common wildflowers in summer. Lakes in the area include the Rock Lakes and Serene Lake, while Cache Meadow is one of the many alpine meadows. The Wilderness has five trails–Shining Lake, Shellrock Lake, Serene Lake, Grouse Point, and Dry Ridge.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 36,548 acres |
| Designated | 2009, by Congress |
| Center point | 45.16° N, 122.00° 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
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary and 31 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
20 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 5 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 1 campground, 1 paddling access, 1 trailhead, 1 picnic area. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 2 miFrazier Turnaround Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 5 miSunstrip Campground ↗Campground
- 6 miHole in the Wall Boat Access Day Site ↗Paddling access
- 7 miCarter Bridge Day Use/Picnic Site ↗Picnic area
- 7 miCarter Bridge Campground ↗RV camping
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
12 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 39 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Grouse Point ↗ | 8.4 | |
| Dry Ridge ↗ | 5.2 | |
| Shining Lake | 4.4 | |
| Cripple Creek | 3.5 | |
| Serene Lake | 3.5 | |
| Huxley Lake | 3 | |
| Corral Springs | 2.6 | |
| Rimrock | 2.3 | |
| Plaza Creek | 2.2 | |
| Shell Rock Lake | 2 |
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
- PrescribedTimber Lake/Ripplebrook Admin Piles Rx - West
6 mi from the center point
- PrescribedFawn Stew Piles Rx - West
6 mi from the center point
- WildfireAustin
10 mi from the center point · 12,888 acres · 98% contained
- PrescribedPodunk Admin Piles Rx - West
11 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
- 8.6 mi
- 8.7 mi
- 9.2 miOregon Trail, Barlow Road Segment ↗Wemme, OR
- 10.8 miRock Corral on the Barlow Road ↗Brightwood, OR
- 13.9 miBagby Guard Station ↗Estacada, OR
- 13.9 miUpper Sandy Guard Station Cabin ↗Government Camp, OR
- 14.3 miSilcox Hut ↗Timberline Lodge, OR
- 14.3 miFoster, Philip, Farm ↗Eagle Creek, 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 Roaring River Wilderness?
36,548 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Roaring River Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Roaring River Wilderness in?
Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Roaring River Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2009.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Roaring River 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 Roaring River Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 45.163° N, 122.005° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Roaring River Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Timber Lake/Ripplebrook Admin Piles Rx - West at 6 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Roaring River Wilderness?
The National Register has 9 listings within 15 miles, including Reid's, Wilbur and Evelyn, Alderbrook Lodge and St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church.
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.