Wild Rogue Wilderness
Surrounding the Wild and Scenic Rogue River, the rugged and complex canyon landscape of the Wild Rogue Wilderness provides watershed protection for the Wild portion of the river. The area is characterized by steep terrain of near vertical cliffs, razor-sharp ridges and cascading mountain creeks. The lure of gold in the 1850's attracted a numbers of miners, hunters, stocker raisers and subsistence farmers. Conflicts between white settlers and Native Americans culminated in the 1855-56 Rogue River "Indian War." After their defeat, Native Americans were taken to reservations. For settlers, life in the Rogue Canyon was difficult and isolated. Although extensive gold mining operations took place, overall production was low.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 35,203 acres |
| Designated | 1978, by Congress |
| Center point | 42.70° N, 123.94° 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
None of the 10 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.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 2 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 1 dispersed camping, 1 trailhead. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 3 mi
- 2 miRogue River Dispersed Campsites ↗Dispersed camping
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
7 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 31 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Rogue River (NRT) ↗ | 14.2 | |
| Panther Ridge ↗ | 9.4 | |
| Clay Hill | 4.3 | |
| Mt. Bolivar | 1 | |
| Mt. Bolivar | 1 | |
| Devils Backbone | 0.9 | |
| Hanging Rock | 0.3 |
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
- WildfireW Fork Evans Creek
47 mi from the center point · 283 acres · 75% 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
- 12.7 miWhisky Creek Cabin ↗Wolf Creek, OR
- 13.8 miSandy Creek Bridge ↗Remote, 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 Wild Rogue Wilderness?
35,203 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Wild Rogue Wilderness?
Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service share management. The Bureau of Land Management portion is the largest in the wilderness record.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Wild Rogue Wilderness in?
Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Wild Rogue Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1978.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Wild Rogue 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 Wild Rogue Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 42.695° N, 123.941° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Wild Rogue Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest W Fork Evans Creek at 47 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Wild Rogue Wilderness?
The National Register has 2 listings within 15 miles, including Whisky Creek Cabin and Sandy Creek 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.