North Fork Umatilla Wilderness

The North Fork Umatilla Wilderness is a wilderness area located inside the Umatilla National Forest, in the Blue Mountains of northeastern Oregon. It is the smallest wilderness in northeast Oregon, encompassing only 20144 acre in Umatilla and Union counties.

Topography
The elevation of the North Fork Umatilla Wilderness ranges from 2000 to 5400 ft, and is characterized by terrain that varies from gentle, sloping hills to extremely steep, timbered canyons below a high plateau. Common vegetation includes juniper, sagebrush, ponderosa pine, fir, spruce, lodgepole pine, and western larch.

Wildlife
The North Fork Umatilla River supports a sizeable population of bull trout, as well as anadromous fish such as steelhead. There are also several streams within the wilderness that contain native trout, and a few streams support spawning steelhead. Big game animals found in the wilderness include Rocky Mountain elk and deer. Other wildlife in the wilderness include blue and ruffed grouse.

Recreation
Primary recreational activities in the North Fork Umatilla Wilderness include hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, and horseback riding. The North Fork of the Umatilla River is designated catch and release only. There is a 27 mi hiking trail system, which opens up early in the season due to the low elevation of the Wilderness.