Oregon · Hiking · Wild Rogue Wilderness

Devils Backbone

Devils BackbonePhoto: james shaw, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
1.9 mi
round trip
1,739 ft
climb
934 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Mar–Jun, Oct–Nov
best months

Is Devils Backbone open right now?

No closures listed

The Forest Service lists no closures for Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests.

As of · Source: USFS · Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Devils Backbone is a 1.9-mile out-and-back hike in the Wild Rogue Wilderness, part of the Gold Beach Ranger District of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests in Oregon. The trail climbs from about 421 feet to 934 feet, with a total gain of 1,739 feet over the round trip, and the steepest stretch comes at about 0.36 miles in, where the grade reaches 36 percent. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is not accessible. The most comfortable months for a visit are typically late spring and early fall. Typical averages from the nearby Illahe weather station, which sits about 586 feet lower than the trail's high point, show May highs around 75°F and October highs near 69°F, while July and August average about 90°F. The trail is open from June 1 to October 31, and the estimated time for the round trip is about two hours. Clay Hill and Panther Ridge are both about 2.4 miles away, and the Rogue River National Recreation Trail is about 2.5 miles off. For an overnight stay, Sru Lake campground is about 4 miles away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Mar–Jun, Oct–Nov

    Best time to visit Devils Backbone

    Best months: March–June and October–November. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      51° / 37°

    2. Feb

      54° / 38°

    3. Mar

      59° / 39°

    4. Apr

      65° / 40°

    5. May

      75° / 43°

    6. Jun

      81° / 49°

    7. Jul

      90° / 52°

    8. Aug

      91° / 52°

    9. Sep

      86° / 48°

    10. Oct

      69° / 43°

    11. Nov

      55° / 40°

    12. Dec

      51° / 36°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Illahe, OR, 7.4 mi away at 348 ft. The station sits about 600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

    Closures we've recorded since August 2026

    • Stage 2 Public Use Fire Restrictions (Forest-wide)

      Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests · Order dated September 4, 2026; seen Sep 3, 2026 → lifted Oct 28, 2026 · Forest Service

    • Stage 3 Public Use Fire Restrictions (Forest-wide)

      Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests · Order dated July 17, 2026; seen Aug 23, 2026 → lifted Sep 3, 2026 · Forest Service

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Coquille River FallsPhoto: Don Henise, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Coquille River Falls

~7 min drive

0.88-mile out-and-back trail to Coquille River Falls in Oregon.

Mt. BolivarPhoto: Don Henise — CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Mt. Bolivar

~15 min drive

2-mile out-and-back trail to Mt. Bolivar in Oregon.

Pine GrovePhoto: james shaw, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Pine Grove

~20 min drive

11.70-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 3,241 ft of elevation gain.

HIKE

Rogue River National Recreation Trail

~4 min drive

Scenic 27-mile point-to-point trail along Oregon's wild Rogue River canyon.

Elk Creek FallsPhoto: Don Henise, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Elk Creek Falls

~16 min drive

0.20-mile out-and-back trail to Elk Creek Falls in Oregon with 182 ft of elevation gain.

South Bend Mountain WayPhoto: Northwest Rafting Company, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

South Bend Mountain Way

~31 min drive

4.96-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 810 ft gain.

Florence WayPhoto: Northwest Rafting Company, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Florence Way

~31 min drive

6.20-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 275 ft elevation gain and 3,449 ft loss.

HIKE

West Fork Mule Creek

~6 min drive

6.57-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 3,098 ft elevation gain.

Big TreePhoto: Don Henise, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Big Tree

~16 min drive

1.46-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 569 ft of elevation gain.

HIKE

Sucker Creek

~15 min drive

4.20-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 2,778 ft gain and 1,550 ft loss.