Spring Basin Wilderness
Located just above the John Day River just south of state highway 218 near Clarno, Oregon, the Spring Basin Wilderness is a tapestry of rolling hills, providing spectacular vistas of the river and surrounding landscape. This unique wild area offers a profusion of desert wildflowers in the spring, along with recreational opportunities for hikers, horseback riders, hunters, botanists, and other outdoor enthusiasts. The Spring Basin Wilderness is dominated by big sagebrush, native bunchgrasses, and western juniper, providing important habitat and forage for native wildlife.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 6,404 acres |
| Designated | 2009, by Congress |
| Center point | 44.87° N, 120.40° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 21) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees
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
No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from trails and water, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit and group-size rules.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedTule Rx
34 mi from the center point · 300 acres
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
- 11.1 miHoover, Thomas Benton, House ↗Fossil, OR
- 11.3 miFossil Public School ↗Fossil, OR
- 13.8 miAntelope School ↗Antelope, 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 Spring Basin Wilderness?
6,404 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Spring Basin Wilderness?
The Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Spring Basin Wilderness in?
Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Spring Basin Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2009.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to Spring Basin Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 44.868° N, 120.398° W. John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is 28 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Spring Basin Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Tule Rx at 34 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Spring Basin Wilderness?
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument (28 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Spring Basin Wilderness?
The National Register has 3 listings within 15 miles, including Hoover, Thomas Benton, House and Fossil Public School.
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.