Drift Creek Wilderness
The Drift Creek Wilderness (5,798 acres) is one of three small wilderness areas established on the Siuslaw National Forest by Act of Congress in 1984. Drift Creek Wilderness is located in the Oregon Coast...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 5,792 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 44.4661, -123.9276 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 8) |
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
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 5 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
3 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 12 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Horse Creek Trail North ↗ | 5.6 | |
| Horse Creek South | 4.1 | |
| Harris Ranch | 2.6 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas, refreshed September 18, 2026. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedNestucca Rx
48 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
- 8.4 miSt. John's Episcopal Church ↗Toledo, OR
- 8.7 miPacific Spruce Saw Mill Tenant Houses ↗Toledo, OR
- 8.8 miNorth Fork of the Yachats Bridge ↗Yachats, OR
- 10.3 miYaquina Bay Bridge No. 01820 ↗Newport, OR
- 10.7 miOld Yaquina Bay Lighthouse ↗Newport, OR
- 10.8 miFisher School Bridge ↗Fisher, OR
- 11 miRoper, Charles and Theresa, House ↗Newport, OR
- 11.4 miNew Cliff House ↗Newport, OR
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Drift Creek Wilderness?
5,792 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Drift Creek Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Drift Creek Wilderness in?
Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Drift Creek Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Drift Creek Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Canal Creek, 3 miles out. 5 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Drift Creek Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 44.466, -123.928. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Drift Creek Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Nestucca Rx at 48 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Drift Creek Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 8 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Are there historic places near Drift Creek Wilderness?
12 National Register listings within 15 miles, including St. John's Episcopal Church and Pacific Spruce Saw Mill Tenant Houses.
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.