Waldo Lake Wilderness

About Waldo Lake Wilderness

The High Cascades portion is characterized by steep to moderate slopes and includes many basin areas with lakes, meadows, and rock outcrops. The Western Cascades portion is typified by steep, dissected slopes.There is an impressive array of lakes scattered throughout the Wilderness which includes the Six Lakes Basin, Eddeeleo Lakes, and Quinn Lakes. Located just outside the eastern boundary of the wilderness is Waldo Lake, one of the purest in the world. This lake, scooped out by ancient glaciers, covers 10 square miles and reaches a maximum depth of 420 feet. On a clear day, you can see to depths of 100 feet.Waldo Lake Wilderness area covers 36,572 total acres. There are approximately 84 miles of trails which lead to many lakes and small meadows. Waldo Lake Trail (not in wilderness) provides users with a 22-mile loop around Waldo Lake. The High Cascades are mostly Douglas-fir, mountain hemlock, and Pacific silver fir. This Wilderness is approximately 98% forested. View larger map

How to Get There

Access: Take State Hwy. 58 to Oakridge. Trailhead access off Forest Roads 24 (Salmon Creek Road), 19 and 5897. Take State Hwy. 58 to Oakridge. Trailhead access off Forest Roads 24 (Salmon Creek Road), 19 and 5897.

Plan Your Visit to Waldo Lake Wilderness

Heading to Waldo Lake Wilderness? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)