Experience the Malheur National Forest, 1.7 million acres across the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon. High desert grasslands, alpine lakes and meadows, and dense forests of juniper and fir comprise this diverse and remote landscape.
The forest encompasses two designated Wilderness Areas. At the southernmost edge of the Blue Mountains is Monument Rock Wilderness, home to its namesake, an eight-foot stone cylinder believed to have been built by pioneer shepherds.
The Strawberry Mountain Wilderness, is named after the range that’s home to the area’s tallest point, 9,038-foot Strawberry Mountain. It’s known for its diverse ecology, home to five of the seven major life zones in North America.
The forest is home to the headwaters for the John Day River System, the only undammed tributary to the Columbia River. It also features two Wild and Scenic stretches of the Malheur and the Silvies rivers, making it an excellent destination for kayaking, canoeing, and fishing. The Malheur is also a popular hunting destination, due to its population of native Rocky Mountain elk and mule deer.
More than 240 miles of trails, half of which are in remote wilderness, offer incredible hiking, biking, and horseback riding. In winter, enjoy miles of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails, as well as four snow parks for snowmobilers.
Photo by Tammy Bryant 
Strawberry Mountains. Photo by the U.S. Forest Service 
Photo by Emma Wade 
Photo by Michael Emory 
Photo by Shara Howard 
Photo by Tammy Bryant What is the History of the Malheur National Forest?
The forest was named for the Malheur River, the headwaters of which are in the southeastern area. Malheur is a French word for misfortune (literally “bad hour”). The River was named by the fur trapper Peter Ogden in the 1820s when a cache of supplies hidden along its banks went missing. Long before European-American settlement, the area was inhabited by the Northern Paiute, Cayuse, and Bannock peoples.
Timber production was a relatively minor part of the administration of the forest until 1930 when a substantial logging railroad was built from the town of Burns into Bear Valley at the heart of the Forest. The construction of this rail network was required by the Forest Service as part of the first large scale timber sale on the Forest. The Bear Valley Timber Sale, possibly the largest volume of timber ever sold in the continental United States, was sold to the Hines Lumber Company in 1928. Timber harvest from this sale continued until 1968.
Since the National Forest was established in 1908, some of the forested lands are still managed for healthy stands of trees and provide a sustainable harvest to meet the demands of the American public for lumber, paper, and other wood products.
Local ranchers graze cattle under carefully managed permits on the meadows and forested range during the late spring, summer, and early fall. Other forested areas are managed to provide unique habitats for wildlife, and recreational opportunities for people to experience primitive natural surroundings.
How to Get to the Malheur National Forest
Travelers coming from the west, such as from the hubs of Portland or Bend, take U.S. 26 through John Day, a key gateway town located just south of the forest. From John Day, forest roads provide access to trailheads, campgrounds, and scenic areas.
From the south or southeast, U.S. 20 passes through towns such as Burns or Vale and connects to Oregon Route 7, which leads to the northern parts of the forest, including the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness.
From Boise, Idaho, Interstate 84 west connects to U.S. 26 and U.S. 20, which reaches the forest’s eastern sections.
- Boise, Idaho: 3.5 hours by car
- Bend, Oregon: 3.5 to 4 hours by car
- Portland, Oregon: 5.5 to 6 hours by car
This unique destination in the Aldrich Mountains showcases ancient western cedar groves, as well as the only isolated stand of Alaska yellow cedar east of the Cascades. Visitors can explore short, well-marked trails that meander through towering trees, some centuries old.
This one-room cabin atop an 18-foot tower has wraparound windows that look out over the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness. Unlike most lookouts, it’s wired for electricity and has lights, heating, a cook stove, a fridge and a futon bed.
The longest undammed river in Oregon, and the fourth longest in the U.S., John Day is home to tributaries that offer good warmwater destinations for anglers seeking smallmouth bass, trout, and carp.
Elk sedge This native grass-like plant forms dense clumps that help prevent erosion and provide an important food source for elk, deer, and other small mammals, especially during the winter months. 
Lodgepole pine This tall and thin conifer plays an important part in regeneration after wildfire, as the resin in its cones melt—and seeds release—only when heated by fire. 
American dipper This unique songbird, recognized by its gray color and bobbing motion, is found in mountain streams, where it can be spotted diving and walking underwater to feed on aquatic insects and small invertebrates. 
Wolverine This rarely spotted carnivore thrives in high-elevation, snowy regions of the forest, hunting for small mammals, carrion, and birds. 
Rocky Mountain elk This majestic animal, the second largest species in the deer family after moose, inhabit the forest’s higher terrain in the summer and move to its lower-elevation forests in the winter. 
Black bear This medium-sized bear resides in the dense forests and open meadows of the forest, foraging for berries, insects, and small animals. Related Impact
Reforestation on the Umpqua
Anna’s family has been planting trees for 50 years. Now she is helping build a sustainable model to meet the Forest’s future post-fire reforestation needs.
What’s the Best First-Timer’s Adventure in the Malheur National Forest
From the Strawberry Basin Trailhead near the town of Prairie City, hikers can access a number of trails leading into the wildlife-filled (and in the spring, wildflower-filled) forests of the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness. The 12-mile Strawberry Basin Trail traces craggy peaks, waterfalls, and alpine lakes.
Where to Find More Information on the Malheur National Forest
For more information or questions, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/malheur
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