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 of this Wilderness. Fourteen glaciers blanket the immediate region of the mountain. Add to that the frozen sheets on nearby peaks and the total perpetual ice in the area surpasses 10,000 acres. Precipitation on the heights of Mount Baker sometimes reaches 150 inches per year, with up to 18 feet of snow accumulating. Many of the ridges stand above fir- and cedar-forested drainages, dividing the sky and opening often into large heather-filled meadows that showcase riots of summer alpine wildflowers, huckleberries, and blueberries.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Washington |
| Size | 119,966 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 48.85° N, 121.73° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 13) |
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
None of the 10 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.
Trailheads and sites
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.
- 6 miMt. Baker Summit - Climbing ↗Mountain Climbing
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
38 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 131 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| High Divide ↗ | 13 | |
| Elbow Lake ↗ | 8.7 | |
| Swift Creek ↗ | 8 | |
| Silesia Creek ↗ | 7 | |
| Bell Pass ↗ | 6 | |
| Ridley Creek ↗ | 6 | |
| Chain Lakes ↗ | 5.5 | |
| Skyline Divide ↗ | 5.5 | |
| Hannegan Pass ↗ | 5 | |
| Ptarmigan Ridge ↗ | 5 |
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
- under 0.1 miWinchester Mountain Lookout ↗Sedro Wooley, WA
- under 0.1 miPark Butte Lookout ↗Sedro Wooley, WA
- 0.1 miInternational Boundary US--Canada ↗Hozomeen, WA
- 0.8 miAustin Pass Warming Hut ↗Glacier, WA
- 0.9 miNooksack Falls Hydroelectric Power Plant ↗Glacier, WA
- 2.7 miCopper Mountain Fire Lookout ↗Newhalem, WA
- 3 miGlacier Ranger Station ↗Glacier, WA
- 5.1 miKoma Kulshan Ranger Station ↗Concrete, 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 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?
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 Mount Baker Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 48.848° N, 121.734° W. North Cascades National Park is 18 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
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
Are there historic places near Mount Baker Wilderness?
The National Register has 13 listings within 15 miles, including Winchester Mountain Lookout and Park Butte 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.