What Oregon outdoor recreation areas are closed due to wildfires?

As wildfires continue to rage across Oregon, outdoor recreation areas are beginning to temporarily shut down to the public.

Some land management agencies are instituting blanket closures to access and recreation, including the Mount Hood and Willamette national forests, while others are shutting down select parks that are either being evacuated or closed as a precaution.

Virtually all recreation areas in Oregon have also instituted fire restrictions to some extent, including complete bans on campfires and open flames in some areas.

Poor air quality caused by smoke from several wildfires may also make outdoor recreation unsafe. On Tuesday, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued an air quality advisory for the Willamette Valley, Oregon coast, southern Oregon and southwest Washington. Check the current air quality levels here.

This post will be updated as the situation continues to unfold and more information comes in.

LAST UPDATED FRIDAY, SEPT. 11, AT 11:30 A.M.

MOUNT HOOD

All access and recreation in the Mount Hood National Forest is currently closed. Timberline Lodge has suspended outdoor operations and remains open only to current hotel guests and those with existing reservations. Mount Hood Skibowl’s summer Adventure Park is closed, and will evaluate the situation every 24 hours.

OREGON STATE PARKS

Several Oregon state park sites have been evacuated and temporarily closed to the public. The list of closures includes Silver Falls, Milo McIver, Detroit Lake, Devils Lake, Collier Memorial, Jackson F. Kimball and Fall Creek Reservoir. See the full list for more. Cape Lookout State Park will close through Sept. 10 due to power outages and limited water supply.

Campfires and camp stoves are banned at all state parks and campgrounds.

COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE

The U.S. Forest Service has temporarily closed most recreation areas within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Some remain open, including Sandy River Delta, Multnomah Falls, Wyeth Campground, Lower Klickitat and Lower White Salmon rivers. The Historic Columbia Highway is open from Larch Mountain to Ainsworth, but parking along the highway and visiting sites within that section is prohibited.

Oregon State Parks has temporarily closed parks along the Historic Columbia Highway from Larch Mountain to Ainsworth, as well as the Angel’s Rest Trailhead and trail and Mount Defiance at Starvation Creek. All other parks, trails, and campgrounds remain open.

PORTLAND PARKS

All outdoor parks and natural areas owned by the City of Portland have been temporarily closed as the city declares a state of emergency.

WILLAMETTE NATIONAL FOREST

The Willamette National Forest has temporarily shut down all access and recreation. Most of the Mount Jefferson Wilderness is closed to the public due to the Lionshead fire burning nearby.

OREGON STATE FORESTS

The Tillamook, Santiam, Clatsop, Gilchrist and Sun Pass state forests are closed to all public entry and use, as well as state forest lands in Benton, Coos, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln and Polk counties. The Santiam State Forest is closed indefinitely, while all other forests are expected to be closed through at least Sunday, Sept. 13.

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

The northwest Oregon district of the federal Bureau of Land Management has closed all recreation sites through Sept. 15. The closure covers west of the Cascades, and north from Cottage Grove to the Columbia River. Many other campgrounds and day use areas are closed across the region. Check the BLM website for more information.

Campfires are temporarily banned on all BLM sites and campgrounds in central Oregon, effective Friday, Sept. 11.

METRO

All parks, natural areas, boat ramps and cemeteries managed by Metro in the greater Portland area are closed to the public.

SIUSLAW NATIONAL FOREST

The Siuslaw National Forest on the Oregon coast and Coast Range has closed all public access and recreation. That includes all hiking trails, campgrounds, visitor centers and recreation sites, including those in the Oregon Dunes and at Sand Lake.

MARION COUNTY PARKS

Several parks in Marion County are closed due to wildfires and evacuations: Salmon Falls, Bear Creek, North Fork, Niagara, Minto, Packsaddle and Scotts Mills.

CLACKAMAS COUNTY PARKS

Some parks in Clackamas County have closed due to wildfires or wind damage. Eagle Fern is closed due to a power outage, Barlow Wayside is closed for downed tree removal and Metzler Park is closed due to wildfire risk.

The Riverside fire in Clackamas County continues to grow.

DAMS AND RESERVOIRS

Several recreation sites at dams managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have been closed. Current closures include Detroit, Green Peter, Foster, Cougar, Blue River, Lookout Point, Dexter, Hills Creek and Fall Creek dams.

CRATER LAKE

Crater Lake National Park remains open, but is on a Level 1 evacuation notice, meaning all visitors and park staff need to be ready to leave should a fire approach the park. There are currently no fires in the park itself.

ROGUE-SISKIYOU NATIONAL FOREST

The Rogue-Siskiyou National Forest has closed all recreation areas, forest roads and dispersed camping within its Siskiyou Mountains and Wild Rivers ranger districts. Other areas of the national forest remain open.

— Jamie Hale; [email protected]; 503-294-4077; @HaleJamesB