Hells Canyon Wilderness
Hells Canyon Wilderness is a subset of the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area (HCNRA), which straddles the border of northeastern Oregon and western Idaho. Split into two distinct halves by the Wild...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service |
| States | Idaho, Oregon |
| Size | 217,747 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1975, by Congress |
| Center point | 45.4253, -116.6115 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 16) |
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. 17 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
5 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trails
7 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 49 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Deep Creek ↗ | 14.4 | |
| West Fork Rapid River ↗ | 11.1 | |
| Trail Creek ↗ | 8.1 | |
| Bald Mountain ↗ | 6.7 | |
| Indian Springs | 3.4 | |
| Rankin Mill | 2.7 | |
| Dog Ridge | 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
- PrescribedWeasel Rx
34 mi from the center point
- PrescribedPayette National Forest 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
- 3.5 miHuntley, A. O., Barn ↗Cuprum, ID
- 3.8 miCollege Creek Ranger Station ↗Imnaha, OR
- 6.9 miAitken Barn ↗Riggins, ID
- 7 miRiggins Motel ↗Riggins, ID
- 11.9 miFoskett, Dr. Wilson, Home and Drugstore ↗White Bird, ID
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Hells Canyon Wilderness?
217,747 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Hells Canyon 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 Hells Canyon Wilderness in?
The boundary crosses Idaho and Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Hells Canyon Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1975.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Hells Canyon Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Warnock Corrals Trailhead, 0 miles out. 17 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 Hells Canyon Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 45.425, -116.612. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Hells Canyon Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Weasel Rx at 34 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Hells Canyon Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 16 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 Hells Canyon Wilderness?
5 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Huntley, A. O., Barn and College Creek Ranger 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.