South Fork Wilderness
South Fork Wilderness Trail is a 5-mile trail in Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests, Oregon. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking and horse and pack stock. It enters Sky Lakes Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 42.5780° N, 122.2852° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 42.5167° N, 122.2779° W · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 2 segments.
The trail
| Length | 5 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Evaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines |
| Trail numbers | 986 |
| Forest | Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests (unit 0610) |
| States | Oregon |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed 06/01 to 10/31 (month/day) |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Wilderness
- Sky Lakes WildernessFS · about 97% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.
Trailheads
Upper Rogue River - Woodruff Bridge Trailhead No season published | under 0.1 mi |
Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date.
Trails nearby
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedRx Long Prairie
37 mi from the trail midpoint · 112 acres
- WildfireW Fork Evans Creek
39 mi from the trail midpoint · 283 acres · 75% contained
- PrescribedRx Calf Nff 5 6 &7
49 mi from the trail midpoint
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Historic places nearby
Guidebooks for Oregon
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the South Fork Wilderness Trail?
The Forest Service records 5 miles under this name in Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests, the sum of 2 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the South Fork Wilderness Trail?
Hiking and horse and pack stock are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the South Fork Wilderness Trail start?
The line begins at 42.5780° N, 122.2852° W and ends at 42.5167° N, 122.2779° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Upper Rogue River - Woodruff Bridge Trailhead, under 0.1 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the South Fork Wilderness Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Sky Lakes Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Sky Lakes Wilderness
Where can I camp near the South Fork Wilderness Trail?
Fourmile Lake Campground (3.5 mi) and Fourmile Lake Campground (4.5 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 2 with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the South Fork Wilderness Trail?
Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the South Fork Wilderness Trail?
The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the South Fork Wilderness Trail accessible?
No. The Forest Service evaluated it and found it does not meet its accessibility guidelines.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the South Fork Wilderness Trail?
Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests, Forest Service unit 0610. The trail is in Oregon.
Is there a fire near the South Fork Wilderness Trail?
The interagency feed shows 3 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Rx Long Prairie at 37 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 2 segments named South Fork Wilderness in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0610. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.