Buckhorn Wilderness
Located in the northeast corner of Olympic National Forest, just to the north of The Brothers Wilderness, Buckhorn Wilderness stands divided into northern and southern portions by the Dungeness River and a parallel road. The smaller northern portion, drained by the Gray Wolf River and its tributaries, descends from higher mountainous terrain to lowlands heavily forested in fir, hemlock, and cedar with an understory of moss, ferns, and berry bushes. South of the river and south of the trails, the terrain soars skyward to a ragged ridge with difficult access and few human visitors.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Washington |
| Size | 44,270 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 47.84° N, 123.13° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 9) |
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 8 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.
Trails
17 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 59 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Tubal Cain ↗ | 8.6 | |
| Dungeness ↗ | 7.7 | |
| Tunnel Creek ↗ | 7.5 | |
| Mt. Townsend ↗ | 6.2 | |
| Big Quilcene ↗ | 5.3 | |
| Gray Wolf | 3.6 | |
| Heather Basin | 3.3 | |
| Deer Ridge | 3.2 | |
| Upper Gray Wolf | 3 | |
| Slab Camp | 2.6 |
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.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 0.9 miThree Forks Shelter ↗Port Angeles, WA
- 5.2 miInterrorem Guard Station--Olympic National Forest ↗Duckabush, WA
- 6.9 miHamilton-Worthington House ↗Quilcene, WA
- 7.2 miBlue Mountain School ↗Port Angeles, WA
- 8 miDuckabush River Bridge ↗Duckabush, WA
- 8.4 miEmery Farmstead ↗Port Angeles, WA
- 8.4 miDungeness River Bridge ↗Sequim, WA
- 8.5 miSequim Opera House ↗Sequim, WA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for 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 Buckhorn Wilderness?
44,270 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Buckhorn Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Buckhorn Wilderness in?
Washington.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Buckhorn Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Buckhorn 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 Buckhorn Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 47.844° N, 123.126° W. Olympic National Park is 22 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Which national parks are near Buckhorn Wilderness?
Olympic National Park (22 mi) and Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve (29 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Buckhorn Wilderness?
The National Register has 32 listings within 15 miles, including Three Forks Shelter and Interrorem Guard Station--Olympic National Forest.
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.