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...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 36,548 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 2009, by Congress |
| Center point | 45.1635, -122.0050 |
| 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.
Where to camp
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary and 34 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
23 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.
Fire nearby
- WildfireThe Narrows
4 mi from the center point · 305 acres · 98% contained
- WildfireAustin
10 mi from the center point · 12,881 acres · 87% contained
- WildfireGrasshopper
25 mi from the center point · 93,996 acres · 98% contained
- WildfireBench
49 mi from the center point · 67,071 acres · 90% contained
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.
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?
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary, including Carter Bridge Campground. 35 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 Roaring River Wilderness?
The Forest Service lists 5 recreation sites here, including 1 campground campground, 1 boating - non-motorized and 1 trailhead. Each one links to its Forest Service page.
Source: Trailheads and sites
How do I get to Roaring River Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 45.163, -122.005. 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 2026-09-17, the nearest The Narrows at 4 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Roaring River Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 7 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 Roaring River Wilderness?
9 National Register 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.
- 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.