Three Sisters Wilderness
The high, snowcapped Three Sisters (North Sister at 10,085 feet, Middle Sister at 10,047 feet, and South Sister at 10,358 feet) embellish the eastern side of this Wilderness, the second largest in Oregon. If you include Broken Top at 9,175 feet just to the south, you have 14 glaciers offering perhaps the best example of the effects of glaciation in the Pacific Northwest. Collier Glacier, between North and Middle Sister, is the largest sheet of ice in Oregon.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 283,818 acres |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 44.04° N, 121.90° 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 68 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
57 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 4 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 3 trailheads, 1 viewpoint. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 9 miProxy Falls Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 13 miHand Lake Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 16 mi
- 16 miDee Wright Observatory ↗Viewpoint
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
102 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 666 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Metolius-Windigo ↗ | 142.6 | |
| Trail #2 -Cross District Trail ↗ | 41.9 | |
| McBee ↗ | 24 | |
| Olallie ↗ | 22.8 | |
| Green Lakes ↗ | 20.8 | |
| Pacific Crest Trail - Wif3 ↗ | 15.8 | |
| Horse Creek ↗ | 14.9 | |
| Blair Lake ↗ | 14.6 | |
| Louise Creek ↗ | 13.5 | |
| Park ↗ | 11.3 |
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
- PrescribedNewberry Piles 2026 Rx
30 mi from the center point
- PrescribedSting 6 Rx
50 mi from the center point · 42 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
- 0.1 miElk Lake Guard Station ↗Bend, OR
- 3.6 miBelknap Bridge ↗Rainbow, OR
- 4.2 miLog Cabin Inn Ensemble ↗McKenzie Bridge, OR
- 4.4 miBend Skyliners Lodge ↗Bend, OR
- 10.5 miSantiam Pass Ski Lodge ↗Sisters, OR
- 10.9 miSisters High School ↗Sisters, OR
- 11.1 miCamp Sherman Community Hall ↗Camp Sherman, OR
- 13.6 mi
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 Three Sisters Wilderness?
283,818 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Three Sisters Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Three Sisters Wilderness in?
Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Three Sisters Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Three Sisters 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 Three Sisters Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 44.041° N, 121.900° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Three Sisters Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Newberry Piles 2026 Rx at 30 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Three Sisters Wilderness?
The National Register has 31 listings within 15 miles, including Elk Lake Guard Station and Belknap Bridge.
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.