Soda Mountain Wilderness

The United States Congress designated the Soda Mountain Wilderness in 2009 and it now has over 24,700 acres. All of this wilderness is located in Oregon and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management.The Soda Mountain Wilderness in southwestern Oregon is an ecological mosaic where the state's eastern desert meets towering fir forests. Prior to designation as wilderness, the Clinton administration designated 53,000 acres of federal land in the area as the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in June 2000 to protect this extraordinary biological reserve.The Soda Mountain Wilderness encompasses the rich biological and geological diversity in the mountains southeast of Ashland, Oregon. The new wilderness lies on the south side of the Medford District. The heart of the wilderness is the 5,720-foot high Boccard Point where the great basin meets three mountain ranges. The older Klamath Range comes up from the south while the much younger Siskiyou Range extends from the west. Jutting up from the north is the very young Cascade Range.Hiking is one of the best ways to explore the Soda Mountain Wilderness Area's ecological diversity. The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail provides the easiest access for day hikers and is the only designated trail in the monument. A hike along the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail winds through oak woodlands, old-growth ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir forests, grasslands, and ceanothus-filled shrub-lands. Cross country exploration by foot or on horseback is allowed in Cascade-Siskiyou NM and the Soda Mountain Wilderness. Please follow Leave No Trace principles.All of this beauty and diversity awaits YOU.Leave No Trace PrinciplesPlan Ahead and PrepareTravel and Camp on Durable SurfacesDispose of Waste ProperlyLeave What You FindMinimize Campfire ImpactsRespect WildlifeBe Considerate of Other VisitorsRegulationsMotorized equipment and equipment used for mechanical transport are generally prohibited on all federal lands designated as wilderness. This includes the use of motor vehicles (including OHVs), motorboats, motorized equipment, bicycles, hang gliders, wagons, carts, portage wheels, and the landing of aircraft including helicopters, unless provided for in specific legislation. In a few areas some exceptions allowing the use of motorized equipment or mechanical transport are described in the special regulations in effect for a specific area. Contact the agency for more information about regulations.