Waldo Lake Wilderness
Oregon's second-largest body of natural water dwells in a basin scooped out by ancient glaciers, covers 10 square miles (6,700 acres), and is 420 feet deep at some points. On a bright day, you can see...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Oregon |
| Size | 36,865 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 43.7833, -122.0819 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 8) |
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
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 28 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
16 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 2 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 1 trailhead, 1 viewpoint. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 6 miBlack Creek Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 2 miWaldo Mountain Lookout ↗Viewpoint
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
29 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 131 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Jim Weaver Loop(waldo Lake) ↗ | 19.9 | |
| Blair Lake ↗ | 14.6 | |
| Waldo Meadows ↗ | 8.6 | |
| South Waldo ↗ | 7.8 | |
| Taylor Burn Snowmobile ↗ | 7.8 | |
| Six Lakes ↗ | 6.5 | |
| Wahana ↗ | 6.3 | |
| Shale Ridge ↗ | 5.9 | |
| North Fork Segment #5 ↗ | 5.8 | |
| High Divide ↗ | 5.7 |
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
- PrescribedThor Rx
35 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
- 15 miElk Lake Guard Station ↗Bend, OR
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Waldo Lake Wilderness?
36,865 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Waldo Lake Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Waldo Lake Wilderness in?
Oregon.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Waldo Lake Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Waldo Lake Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Harralson Horse Camp, 0.2 miles out. 28 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
Where are the trailheads in Waldo Lake Wilderness?
The Forest Service lists 2 recreation sites here, including 1 trailhead and 1 viewing scenery. Each one links to its Forest Service page.
Source: Trailheads and sites
How do I get to Waldo Lake Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 43.783, -122.082. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Waldo Lake Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Thor Rx at 35 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Waldo Lake 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 Waldo Lake Wilderness?
1 National Register listing within 15 miles, including Elk Lake Guard 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.