North Fork Umatilla Wilderness Located in the Umatilla National Forest in Oregon. The North Fork Umatilla Wilderness, located 30 miles east of Pendleton, is the smallest wilderness in northeast Oregon. It encompasses only 20,144 acres in Umatilla and Union counties. But this little wilderness feels much bigger for those who take the time to trek into the heart of the area and fully experience its variety of terrain and vegetation.
Visitors find the area peaceful, yet challenging and enjoyable from early spring through late fall.
Hunting, hiking and equestrian use are important activities occurring in the wilderness. One of the major driving forces behind this wilderness designation was the production of high-quality water from the North Fork Umatilla River. The North Fork Umatilla River supports sizable runs of anadromous fish, which makes this area a popular spot for anglers. There are also several streams within the wilderness that contain native trout and a few streams support spawning steelhead. The wilderness is characterized by terrain that varies from gentle, sloping hills to extremely steep, timbered canyons.