Upper Kiamichi River Wilderness
In the Upper Kiamichi River Wilderness, you'll find groves of beech in the headwaters, giving way to a dense forest of pine and hardwoods. Long ridges called Pine Mountain and Rich Mountain, with a high point of approximately 2,600 feet, shelter this Wilderness. The ridges are steep and the valleys below are relatively flat but narrow. In several places the ridges are broken by rock flows or "glaciers." Several creeks drain the area, often creating miniature and picturesque waterfalls. On the northern boundary runs the Talimena Scenic Byway (Oklahoma Highway 1) with over looks of the area. The Arkansas state line forms the eastern boundary.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Oklahoma |
| Size | 10,372 acres |
| Designated | 1988, by Congress |
| Center point | 34.67° N, 94.52° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 11) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
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
None of the 3 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
1 named Forest Service trail enters this wilderness, 193 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Ouachita NRT ↗ | 192.5 |
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
- WildfireRedbud
40 mi from the center point · 198 acres · 60% 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
- 0.1 miState Line Marker ↗Mena, AR
- 4.7 miFoster, C. E., House ↗Mena, AR
- 5.2 miHeathcliff Cabin ↗Mena, AR
- 9.4 miMountain Fork Bridge ↗Mena, AR
- 13.5 miShaver, Judge Benjamin, House ↗Mena, AR
- 13.5 miSt. Agnes Catholic Church ↗Mena, AR
- 13.6 miEbenezer Monument ↗Mena, AR
- 13.7 miPolk County Courthouse ↗Mena, AR
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Oklahoma
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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 Upper Kiamichi River Wilderness?
10,372 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Upper Kiamichi River Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Upper Kiamichi River Wilderness in?
Oklahoma.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Upper Kiamichi River Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1988.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Upper Kiamichi 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 Upper Kiamichi River Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 34.675° N, 94.523° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Upper Kiamichi River Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Redbud at 40 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Upper Kiamichi River Wilderness?
The National Register has 15 listings within 15 miles, including State Line Marker and Foster, C. E., House.
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.