USFS · Wilderness area · Washington

Mount Baker Wilderness

Mount Baker has shown steamy signs of life as recently as 1975. The volcanic mountain stands at 10,778 feet, making it the fourth highest summit in the state and the dominant feature in the southern portion...

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.

Wilderness119,966 acresUSFSWADesignated 198410 campgrounds within 10 mi1 Forest Service site
Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Mount Baker Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
4fires
active
Electric · 19 mi from the center · 495 acres
3 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateWashington
Size119,966 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1984, by Congress
Center point48.8477, -121.7345
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 13)

Boundary map

1 outline

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.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 10 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

FS · 0.7 mi
Excelsior Group Camp
Reservable2 sites
FS · 1.1 mi
Silver Fir Campground
Reservable21 sites
FS · 2.2 mi
Park Creek Campground
Reservable16 sites
FS · 2.3 mi
Boulder Creek Campground
Reservable14 sites
FS · 2.6 mi
Swift Creek Campground
Reservable43 sites
FS · 3 mi
Panorama Point Campground
Reservable22 sites
FS · 3.1 mi
Douglas Fir Campground
Reservable30 sites
FS · 3.4 mi
Shannon Creek Campground
Reservable20 sites
Show 2 more

Trailheads and sites

Forest Service directory · 1

The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 mountain Climbing. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.

Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.

Fire nearby

Within 50 miles · as of 2026-09-17
  • Wildfire
    Electric

    19 mi from the center point · 495 acres · 90% contained

  • Wildfire
    Luna

    24 mi from the center point · 7,879 acres · 34% contained

  • Wildfire
    Border 2

    34 mi from the center point · 8,171 acres · 73% contained

  • Wildfire
    Thunder Creek

    38 mi from the center point · 715 acres · 0% 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

National Park System units within 30 miles · Park Atlas
National Park · 18 mi
North Cascades National Park
National Register listings within 15 miles · 13 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Mount Baker Wilderness?

119,966 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Mount Baker Wilderness?

The U.S. Forest Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Mount Baker Wilderness in?

Washington.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Mount Baker Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1984.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Mount Baker Wilderness?

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Excelsior Group Camp, 0.7 miles out. 10 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.

Source: Where to camp

Where are the trailheads in Mount Baker Wilderness?

The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site here, including 1 mountain climbing. Each one links to its Forest Service page.

Source: Trailheads and sites

How do I get to Mount Baker Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 48.848, -121.734. North Cascades National Park is 18 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Is there a fire near Mount Baker Wilderness right now?

4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Electric at 19 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.

Source: Fire nearby

How dark is the night sky at Mount Baker Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 13 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Which national parks are near Mount Baker Wilderness?

North Cascades National Park (18 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.

Source: Nearby on the other atlases

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.
  • 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.