Ochoco National Forest, National forest in Oregon, United States

Ochoco National Forest covers 850,000 acres of rimrock, canyons, dense pine forest and high desert terrain in the Ochoco Mountains of central Oregon, north and east of Prineville. Its three wilderness areas total 36,200 acres: Mill Creek, Bridge Creek and Black Canyon. The North Fork Crooked River rises here, and a 1993 Forest Service study put old growth at 95,000 acres.

This forest was protected in the early 1900s as part of the national forest system to manage timber and protect the natural landscape. The designation reflected the growing interest in preserving western wilderness during that era.

The forest lies in the Ochoco Mountains, and the name Ochoco comes from the Ochoco people, a band of the Paiute whose homeland took in this country north and east of Prineville. The Forest Service manages the land in three ranger districts: Lookout Mountain, Paulina and Crooked River Grasslands. The Crooked River National Grassland in Jefferson County is administered as part of the forest.

Multiple access points surround the forest with parking and visitor facilities at major entrances. Well-marked trails and campgrounds are available throughout the area, though weather conditions change significantly with elevation and season.

The forest holds three designated wilderness areas: Mill Creek at 17,400 acres, Black Canyon at 13,400 acres and Bridge Creek at 5,400 acres, 36,200 acres in all. A 1993 Forest Service study put old growth at 95,000 acres. Parts of the forest serve as winter range for mule deer and elk, so motorized vehicles are barred there from December through May.