Alpine Lakes Wilderness
The Alpine Lakes Wilderness covers over 400,000 acres of the famously scenic Central Cascades of Washington. The Wilderness lies between Snoqualmie and Stevens Passes in the Northern Cascades portion of the Cascades Range, including the sub-range called the Wenatchee Mountains, which forms the Wenatchie-Yakima divide. Associated with the Wenatchee Mountains is the Stuart Range, a jagged batholithic crest crowned by 9,415-foot Mount Stuart that includes the sublime Enchantment Peaks. The Chiwaukum Mountains are another subsidiary range constituting the high country around Frosty and Deadhorse passes in the Wilderness's far northeast.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Washington |
| Size | 414,322 acres |
| Designated | 1976, by Congress |
| Center point | 47.57° N, 121.16° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 15) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 22 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
10 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trails
136 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 645 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| PCT: Cle Elum North ↗ | 51.8 | |
| Icicle Ridge ↗ | 25.3 | |
| Jack Creek ↗ | 23.4 | |
| Dutch Miller Gap ↗ | 14.9 | |
| PCT: MBS Skykomish South ↗ | 14.6 | |
| Ingalls Creek ↗ | 13.9 | |
| Chiwaukum Creek ↗ | 12.2 | |
| PCT: Wenatchee River South ↗ | 11.8 | |
| Icicle Creek ↗ | 11.6 | |
| Meadow Creek ↗ | 10.8 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- WildfireKing
8 mi from the center point · 3,427 acres · 72% contained
- WildfireThree Queens
11 mi from the center point · 9,575 acres · 90% contained
- PrescribedRockwood Rx
23 mi from the center point
- PrescribedCle Elum Pile Burn Rx
31 mi from the center point
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 0.6 miChatter Creek Guard Station ↗Leavenworth, WA
- 1.2 miSalmon la Sac Guard Station ↗Cle Elum, WA
- 1.5 miStevens Pass Guard Station ↗Skykomish, WA
- 1.9 miBlewett Arrastra ↗Cashmere, WA
- 2 miLake Keechelus Snowshed Bridge ↗Hyak, WA
- 2.2 miPenstock Bridge ↗Leavenworth, WA
- 3.3 miGreat Northern Depot ↗Skykomish, WA
- 3.3 miMaloney's General Store ↗Skykomish, WA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Alpine Lakes Wilderness and Washington
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Alpine Lakes Wilderness?
414,322 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Alpine Lakes Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Alpine Lakes Wilderness in?
Washington.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Alpine Lakes Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1976.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Alpine Lakes Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Alpine Lakes Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 47.565° N, 121.160° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Alpine Lakes Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest King at 8 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Alpine Lakes Wilderness?
The National Register has 31 listings within 15 miles, including Chatter Creek Guard Station and Salmon la Sac Guard Station.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.