Trapper Creek Wilderness
Trapper Creek Wilderness protects nearly all of the Trapper Creek drainage and provides the only pristine anadromous fish habitat in the Wind River watershed. Sparkling streams and waterfalls grace steeply dissected canyons of heavy timber. Spotted owls, pileated woodpeckers and goshawks enjoy the tall, old-growth Douglas-fir forests that comprise the heart of this Wilderness. Approximately 24 miles of trail offer access to this Wilderness, and approximately half of these trails are primitive trails that are maintained to a lesser standard and can be challenging to follow.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Washington |
| Size | 5,963 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 45.90° N, 122.03° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 7) |
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
10 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 28 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Trapper Creek ↗ | 8.7 | |
| Observation ↗ | 7.5 | |
| Soda Peaks Lake ↗ | 5.1 | |
| Sunshine | 2.3 | |
| Rim | 1.5 | |
| Shortcut | 0.9 | |
| Big Slide | 0.8 | |
| Deer Cutoff | 0.8 | |
| Observation Peak | 0.5 | |
| Trapper Creek Bridge | 0.3 |
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
- PrescribedTyee Piles Rx - South
5 mi from the center point · 329 acres
- PrescribedOpal Piles Rx -South
9 mi from the center point · 73 acres
- PrescribedRed Top Piles Rx - South
13 mi from the center point · 42 acres
- PrescribedCrazy Piles Rx - South
13 mi from the center point
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
- 0.2 miGovernment Mineral Springs Guard Station ↗Mt. Adams Ranger Dist., Gifford Pinchot Nf, WA
- 6.5 miRegion Six Personnel Training Station ↗Gifford Pinchot National Forest, WA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Washington
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Trapper Creek Wilderness?
5,963 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Trapper Creek Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Trapper Creek Wilderness in?
Washington.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Trapper Creek Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Trapper Creek 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 Trapper Creek Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 45.902° N, 122.030° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Trapper Creek Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Tyee Piles Rx - South at 5 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Trapper Creek Wilderness?
The National Register has 2 listings within 15 miles, including Government Mineral Springs Guard Station and Region Six Personnel Training Station.
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.