Pasayten Wilderness
Skirting more than 50 miles of Canada's border and encompassing the crest of the Cascades, this big piece of very wild country is home to the largest population of lynx in the Lower 48. The Wilderness boasts almost 150 peaks over 7,500 feet in elevation, 160 or more bodies of water, and at least as many waterways, some fierce enough to have carved incisive canyons with sheer walls. Rugged ridges in the west flatten into park-like plateaus toward the east, with deep drainages on both sides. Its diverse forest changes from vegetation typical of western Washington (fir, cedar, western hemlock) to growth typical of eastern Washington (fir, pine, larch).
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Washington |
| Size | 531,325 acres |
| Designated | 1968, by Congress |
| Center point | 48.87° N, 120.49° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 12) |
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 14 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
2 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 2 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 1 trailhead, 1 fishing. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 13 miSlate Peak Trailhead ↗Trailhead · July
- 27 miSmith Lake ↗Fishing
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
74 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 618 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Boundary ↗ | 69.1 | |
| PCT: Methow Valley N. Terminus ↗ | 55.5 | |
| Lake Creek ↗ | 27.4 | |
| Monument Creek ↗ | 23 | |
| Hidden Lakes ↗ | 22.3 | |
| Robinson Creek ↗ | 21.7 | |
| Rock Creek ↗ | 18.2 | |
| Chewuch ↗ | 18.1 | |
| Devils Ridge ↗ | 17.9 | |
| Buckskin Ridge ↗ | 17.6 |
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.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedTon Rx - Mutton Hp
36 mi from the center point · 358 acres
- WildfireSisi
40 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 miParson Smith Tree ↗Winthrop, WA
- 0.6 miDeer Lick Cabin ↗Hozomeen, WA
- 1.8 miDesolation Peak Lookout ↗Hozomeen, WA
- 2.5 miFish and Game--Hozomeen Cabin ↗Hozomeen, WA
- 5.2 miSourdough Mountain Lookout ↗Diablo, WA
- 6.4 miEarly Winters Ranger Station Work Center ↗Winthrop, WA
- 7.8 miPerry Creek Shelter ↗Hozomeen, WA
- 10.3 miRock Cabin ↗Diablo, 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 Pasayten Wilderness?
531,325 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Pasayten Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Pasayten Wilderness in?
Washington.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Pasayten Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1968.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Pasayten 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 Pasayten Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 48.874° N, 120.489° W. North Cascades National Park is 10 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Pasayten Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Ton Rx - Mutton Hp at 36 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Pasayten Wilderness?
North Cascades National Park (10 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Pasayten Wilderness?
The National Register has 12 listings within 15 miles, including Parson Smith Tree and Deer Lick Cabin.
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.