Glacier Peak Wilderness
Glacier Peak Wilderness, which shares its northern border with North Cascades National Park, has few equals in terms of sheer ruggedness. Glacier Peak, the highest summit in the area at 10,541 feet, is more remote than any of the state's other famous old volcanoes. Above the tree line (5,000 feet to 6,000 feet), lovely meadows stretch out below the tattered ridges and the dozen or so summits draped with active glaciers, while below the tree line you will wander through dense forest cover. Ultimately, the steep fractured walls and ragged peaks lead to deep U-shaped valleys tangled with huckleberry and other woody plants. Numerous ice-cold creeks splash gloriously through the valleys from their sharp drainages.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Washington |
| Size | 566,161 acres |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 48.20° N, 121.02° 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 Forest Service recreation site
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
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary and 26 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
15 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 trailhead. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 17 miWhite River Trailhead ↗Trailhead
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
112 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 629 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| PCT: MBS Darrington ↗ | 54 | |
| PCT: Wenatchee River North ↗ | 36.1 | |
| Indian Creek ↗ | 20.3 | |
| Rock Creek ↗ | 18.2 | |
| PCT: Glacier Peak Wilderness ↗ | 17.7 | |
| Meadow Mtn ↗ | 17.6 | |
| Pyramid Mountain ↗ | 15.4 | |
| Entiat River ↗ | 14 | |
| White River ↗ | 14 | |
| Bald Eagle ↗ | 13.4 |
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
- WildfireGamma Creek
2 mi from the center point · 29 acres
- WildfireSisi
13 mi from the center point · 4,816 acres · 40% contained
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
- under 0.1 miGreen Mountain Lookout ↗Darrington, WA
- under 0.1 miMiners Ridge Lookout ↗Darrington, WA
- 0.8 miHigh Bridge Shelter ↗Stehekin, WA
- 0.8 miHigh Bridge Ranger Station Historic District ↗Stehekin, WA
- 1.1 miBuckner Cabin ↗Stehekin, WA
- 1.3 miLucerne Guard Station ↗Lucerne, WA
- 1.3 miMiller, George, House ↗Stehekin, WA
- 1.3 miGolden West Lodge Historic District ↗Stehekin, 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 Glacier Peak Wilderness?
566,161 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Glacier Peak Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Glacier Peak Wilderness in?
Washington.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Glacier Peak Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Glacier Peak 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 Glacier Peak Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 48.201° N, 121.020° W. North Cascades National Park is 17 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Glacier Peak Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Gamma Creek at 2 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Glacier Peak Wilderness?
North Cascades National Park (17 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Glacier Peak Wilderness?
The National Register has 27 listings within 15 miles, including Green Mountain Lookout and Miners Ridge Lookout.
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.