Waldo Lake Wilderness
Oregon's second-largest body of natural water dwells in a basin scooped out by ancient glaciers, covers 10 square miles (6,700 acres), and is 420 feet deep at some points. On a bright day, you can see 100 feet down into the water, as this is one of the purest lakes left in the world. Waldo Lake lies just outside the eastern boundary of the Wilderness, hinting at the impressive array of beautiful trout-filled lakes scattered within, including the Six Lakes Basin, Eddeeleo Lakes, and Quinn Lakes. Here in the High Cascades the terrain is characterized by moderate to steep dissected slopes with many basins, small meadows, and rocky outcroppings peaking at 7,144 feet.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 36,865 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 43.78° N, 122.08° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 8) |
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
None of the 25 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.
Show 4 moreHide
13 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 2 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 1 trailhead, 1 viewpoint. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 6 miBlack Creek Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 2 miWaldo Mountain Lookout ↗Viewpoint
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
29 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 131 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Jim Weaver Loop(Waldo Lake) ↗ | 19.9 | |
| Blair Lake ↗ | 14.6 | |
| Waldo Meadows ↗ | 8.6 | |
| South Waldo ↗ | 7.8 | |
| Taylor Burn Snowmobile ↗ | 7.8 | |
| Six Lakes ↗ | 6.5 | |
| Wahana ↗ | 6.3 | |
| Shale Ridge ↗ | 5.9 | |
| North Fork Segment #5 ↗ | 5.8 | |
| High Divide ↗ | 5.7 |
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
- PrescribedRx Cold Springs
34 mi from the center point · 158 acres
- PrescribedSting 6 Rx
34 mi from the center point · 42 acres
- PrescribedRx Calf Nff 5 6 &7
37 mi from the center point
- PrescribedNewberry Piles 2026 Rx
43 mi from the center point
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
- 15 miElk Lake Guard Station ↗Bend, OR
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 Waldo Lake Wilderness?
36,865 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Waldo Lake Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Waldo Lake Wilderness in?
Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Waldo Lake Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Waldo Lake 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 Waldo Lake Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 43.783° N, 122.082° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Waldo Lake Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Rx Cold Springs at 34 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Waldo Lake Wilderness?
The National Register has 1 listing within 15 miles, including Elk Lake Guard Station.
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.