Willamette National Forest

The Willamette National Forest offers a stunning choice of year round recreation for day-trippers and vacationers alike from hiking, camping, fishing or skiing in the Cascade Mountains to picnicking or rafting along one of our scenic rivers.

Photo credit: USDA Forest Service

With over 1.5 million acres, the Willamette National Forest is home to eight wilderness areas, including the popular Three Sisters Wilderness and Mt. Jefferson Wilderness, a variety of backpacking and day hiking opportunities, waterfalls, wildflowers, mountain biking trails, boating, swimming and much more! The varied landscape of high mountains, narrow canyons, cascading streams, and wooded slopes offers excellent opportunities for visitors and make the forest valuable for many purposes.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/willamette/

Wilderness Areas/Wild & Scenic Rivers

Diamond Peak Wilderness - Diamond Peak Wilderness straddles the Cascade Mountains. Diamond Peak was formed as the entire land mass of the Cascades was undergoing volcanic activity and uplift.

Menagerie Wilderness - This area focuses around a series of rock pinnacles each uniquely named from the imagination of past climbers; hence the name, Menagerie. 

Middle Santiam Wilderness - Much of this wilderness is forested with mature stands of old-growth Douglas-fir, western redcedar and western hemlock at lower elevations and true firs near ridgelines.

Mount Jefferson Wilderness - There are 163 miles of trail within this wilderness including a 40 mile stretch of the Pacific Crest Scenic Trail.

Mount Washington Wilderness - This is a geological wonderland which includes Belknap Crater, a 6,873 foot cinder and ash volcanic cone.

Opal Creek Wilderness - The 20,454 acre Opal Creek Wilderness features steep and rugged forested hillsides.

Three Sisters Wilderness - Three Sisters Wilderness area covers 281,190 total acres with approximately 260 miles of trail within the wilderness.

Waldo Lake Wilderness - Waldo Lake Wilderness area covers 36,572 total acres. There are approximately 84 miles of trails which lead to many lakes and small meadows.

Invasive Species