Lower White River Wilderness
The White River originates on Mt. Hood, at the leading edge of the White River Glacier. As the glacier melts in late summer, it releases large amounts of silt which gives the river the milky appearance...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 2,871 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 2009, by Congress |
| Center point | 45.1458, -121.4801 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 10) |
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. 13 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
1 more within ten miles is not listed here.
Trails
2 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 11 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| McCubbins Tr #576B: Maze Loop ↗ | 7 | |
| Camas | 3.9 |
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
- WildfireGrasshopper
8 mi from the center point · 93,996 acres · 98% contained
- WildfireAustin
24 mi from the center point · 12,866 acres · 98% contained
- WildfireThe Narrows
30 mi from the center point · 305 acres · 98% contained
- WildfireBench
36 mi from the center point · 67,071 acres · 90% 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
- 13 miMaupin Section Foreman's House ↗Maupin, OR
- 14.1 mi
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Lower White River Wilderness?
2,871 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Lower White River 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 Lower White River Wilderness in?
Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Lower White River Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2009.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Lower White River Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Keeps Mill Campground, 0 miles out. 13 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 Lower White River Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 45.146, -121.480. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Lower White River Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Grasshopper at 8 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Lower White River Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 10 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 Lower White River Wilderness?
2 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Maupin Section Foreman's House and Wasco Warehouse & Milling Company Hydroelectric Project Historic District.
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.