Fremont-Winema National Forest

Spanning 2.3 million acres across south-central Oregon's high desert and forested mountains, Fremont-Winema National Forest is among the least visited forests in the state, offering genuine solitude and uncrowded backcountry experiences. The forest borders Crater Lake National Park and encompasses the Gearhart Mountain Wilderness, where a distinctive volcanic landscape of eroded pinnacles, old-growth ponderosa pine, and mountain meadows provides habitat for elk, mule deer, and pronghorn. The Klamath Basin, partially within and adjacent to the forest, is one of the most important migratory bird habitats in the entire Pacific Flyway, hosting the largest wintering concentration of bald eagles in the lower 48 states and millions of waterfowl during spring and fall migration. Ancient ponderosa pine forests with massive old-growth trees, some with bark turned orange-red by centuries of sun, characterize the forest's western reaches and provide critical habitat for the northern spotted owl and white-headed woodpecker. The Fremont National Recreation Trail stretches over 100 miles along the Winter Rim escarpment above Summer Lake, offering expansive views across the Oregon Outback and some of the darkest night skies in the continental United States. The forest's rich cultural heritage includes evidence of over 10,000 years of habitation by the Klamath Tribes, whose ancestral homeland encompasses much of this landscape.