Riverside Wildlife Area: hunting rules, map and access
Riverside Wildlife Area is 4,077 acres of land managed by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, in the Malheur River Unit (66), by ODFW's mapped boundary. ODFW's 2026 rule for the area begins: "Open to hunting and fishing."
Data updated October 2026. Rules: ODFW's 2026 regulations, page 89. Boundary: ODFW. Land around it: USGS PAD-US 4.1.
National wildlife refugeNational forestBLMODFW landState forest and trust landRiverside Wildlife AreaUnit lineLake, reservoir or riverHighway
| Size | 4,077 acres (ODFW boundary, measured) |
|---|---|
| Units | 66 Malheur River |
| ODFW zone | Southeast |
| First rule | Open to hunting and fishing |
| Nearest towns | Juntura (5 mi), Crane (23 mi) and Harper (25 mi) |
What is Riverside Wildlife Area?
The original Riverside Tract is adjacent to the Malheur River near the former railroad community of Riverside. It was purchased from the Blaylock family in 1976 and has been administered by ODFW as Riverside Wildlife Area since that time. The purpose of this initial acquisition was to provide public fishing and hunting access to a previously privately held portion of the Malheur River canyon. In addition, this purchase provided the opportunity for the department to emphasize fish and wildlife habitat management in the river canyon. Additional acres were added to this tract in 1977. In 1972, the department purchased a second tract, the Malheur River Tract, D.W. Williams. Similar to the Riverside Tract, the objective of this purchase was to provide public fishing and hunting access to formerly privately held sections of the Malheur River south of Highway 20. Currently the wildlife area’s total acreage is 3,798.
From ODFW's Riverside Wildlife Area page.
What are the hunting rules on Riverside Wildlife Area?
Open to hunting and fishing. Camping is prohibited. Open fires are prohibited. The use of domestic pack goats is prohibited at all times. Motorized vehicle travel is only allowed on open road or parking areas.
ODFW's 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations, page 89, under unit 66. ODFW 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations.
Which hunting units is Riverside Wildlife Area in?
All of Riverside lies in Unit 66. ODFW's latest elk and deer harvest for the whole unit, not the wildlife area alone:
| Unit | Wildlife area acres in it | Elk harvested (unit) | Deer harvested (unit) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 66 Malheur River | 4,077 | 266 (2025) | 490 (2025) |
Harvest: ODFW harvest statistics (2020 to 2025). Acres in each unit measured by FilledTag from ODFW's boundaries.
How do you get to Riverside Wildlife Area?
Highways within 8 miles: US 20. Nearest towns: Juntura (5 miles), Crane (23 miles) and Harper (25 miles).
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt on Riverside Wildlife Area?
ODFW's 2026 regulations set these rules for Riverside: Open to hunting and fishing. Camping is prohibited. Hunting seasons follow the unit the ground is in.
Which unit is Riverside Wildlife Area in?
All of it is in the Malheur River Unit (66).
What towns are near Riverside Wildlife Area?
Juntura (5 miles), Crane (23 miles) and Harper (25 miles), measured to the area's edge.
Get an Oregon hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Oregon are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Oregon included.
Where these facts come from
- Rules: ODFW 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations, page 89.
- Boundary and acres: ODFW Wildlife Areas (Compass dataset). Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land by manager, 2025).
- Unit harvest: ODFW harvest statistics (2020 to 2025).
FilledTag is not part of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.