North Fork John Day Wilderness, Wilderness area within the Blue Mountains, northeastern Oregon, United States.
The North Fork John Day Wilderness encompasses 121,400 acres of rugged terrain featuring granite outcroppings, alpine lake basins, steep ridges, and rolling benchlands covered by dense forests of Douglas-fir, western larch, and lodgepole pine.
This region served as a major gold and silver mining hub during the mid-1800s, with thousands of prospectors seeking fortune, leaving behind visible remnants including old structures, foundations, dredge workings, and mining ditches throughout the wilderness.
Native American tribes utilized this area for centuries as hunting and gathering grounds before European settlers arrived in the 19th century, establishing a cultural connection to the land that spans multiple generations.
Visitors can explore approximately 133 miles of designated trails including the 24-mile Elkhorn Crest Trail and 25-mile North Fork John Day Trail, with access points available from nearby towns such as Dale and Ukiah via Forest Service roads.
The wilderness contains a 39-mile stretch of the North Fork John Day River designated as Wild and Scenic, supporting chinook salmon and steelhead migration runs while maintaining some of the clearest waters in the region.
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