Devil’s Staircase Wilderness

The Devil’s Staircase Wilderness is nestled in between the Umpqua River and the Smith River east of Reedsport, Oregon. This wilderness is part of a rugged and largely inaccessible area of old-growth forest in the Oregon Coast Range. Douglas-fir, western hemlock and cedar trees tower over underbrush of giant ferns and huckleberries, providing critical habitat for the northern spotted owl and marbled murrelet. The remoteness and steepness of the area has precluded most logging activity, and no developed trails provide present-day access to the wilderness, so the area remains largely untouched by man. Wasson Lake, located on the eastern boundary of the wilderness, is a pond with fluctuating water levels and is dotted with stumps from a long-ago forest.

The U.S. Forest Service and the BLM cooperatively manage the 30,000-acre wilderness, with the BLM responsible for approximately 8,600 acres.

Directions

Before you head to the field be sure to download a map of the Devil’s Staircase Wilderness and stop on by, call, or email the BLM’s Coos Bay District Office for more details about how to best access this rugged and remote wilderness.

BLM Coos Bay District
1300 Airport Lane
North Bend, OR 97459
Phone: 541-756-0100
Email: BLM_OR_CB_Mail@blm.gov

Know Before You Go

• Single lane gravel or paved roads access the area;
• Roads that access the wilderness may be closed when forest management activities are occurring on public or private lands outside of the wilderness;
• High clearance vehicle is recommended;
• No motorized vehicles are allowed within the wilderness boundary;
• There are no facilities or developed trails in the wilderness; and
• Cell phone and GPS coverage in the area is intermittent.