Three Arch Rocks Wilderness
Designated as the first National Wildlife Refuge west of the Mississippi River, Three Arch Rocks Refuge and Wilderness lies half a mile offshore of the community of Oceanside. One of the Oregon coast's best-known landmarks, the Wilderness consists of three large and six smaller rocks totaling 15 acres of unsurveyed lands above the line of mean high water. Which adds up to one of the smallest designated wilderness areas in the country. The rocks provide habitat for Oregon's largest breeding colony of tufted puffins. These flamboyant birds with their large bright orange beaks and long yellow head tufts are one of the most recognizable seabirds on the Oregon coast.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 15 acres |
| Designated | 1970, by Congress |
| Center point | 45.46° N, 123.99° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 7) |
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.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 1.4 miCape Meares Lighthouse ↗Tillamook, OR
- 1.8 miHerschell--Spillman Noah's Ark Carousel ↗Portland, OR
- 6.5 miWilson River Bridge No. 01499 ↗Tillamook, OR
- 6.6 miUs Post Office ↗Tillamook, OR
- 6.9 miUs Coast Guard Station--Tillamook Bay ↗Garibaldi, 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 Three Arch Rocks Wilderness?
15 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Three Arch Rocks Wilderness?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Three Arch Rocks Wilderness in?
Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Three Arch Rocks Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1970.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to Three Arch Rocks Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 45.462° N, 123.985° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Are there historic places near Three Arch Rocks Wilderness?
The National Register has 5 listings within 15 miles, including Cape Meares Lighthouse and Herschell--Spillman Noah's Ark Carousel.
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.