Wild Sky Wilderness
The Wild Sky Wilderness is the newest addition to a 2.6 million acre wilderness complex that straddles the rugged North Cascade Range from Canada to Snoqualmie Pass. The southwestern portion of the Wilderness is only 25 miles from Puget Sound and adjacent to the fast growing communities of the Skykomish River Valley. The western part of the Wilderness is characterized by very steep slopes and dramatic local relief. For example, from the North Fork Skykomish River near the town of Index, the terrain rises from about 600 feet above sea level to over 6,000 feet, on Gunn Peak, in less than 3 miles. Annual precipitation in this area runs between 150 to 200 inches annually, most of it coming as snow during the wet winter months.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Washington |
| Size | 105,543 acres |
| Designated | 2008, by Congress |
| Center point | 47.86° N, 121.40° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 8) |
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 7 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 campground. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 3 miSan Juan Campground ↗Campground
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
15 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 75 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Quartz Creek ↗ | 11.4 | |
| North Fork Skykomish ↗ | 9.1 | |
| Meadow Creek ↗ | 8.1 | |
| West Cady Ridge ↗ | 7.7 | |
| Frog Mountain ↗ | 7.1 | |
| Alpine Baldy ↗ | 6.5 | |
| Kelley Creek ↗ | 6 | |
| Johnson Ridge ↗ | 4.6 | |
| Beckler Peak | 3.5 | |
| Blanca Lake | 3.5 |
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.
Fire nearby
- WildfireKing
27 mi from the center point · 3,427 acres · 72% contained
- WildfireGamma Creek
27 mi from the center point · 29 acres
- WildfireThree Queens
31 mi from the center point · 9,575 acres · 90% contained
- PrescribedRockwood Rx
32 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
- under 0.1 miEvergreen Mountain Lookout ↗Skykomish, WA
- 1.1 miBaring Bridge ↗Baring, WA
- 1.4 miBush House ↗Index, WA
- 1.4 miRed Men Hall ↗Index, WA
- 2.3 miMaloney's General Store ↗Skykomish, WA
- 2.4 miGreat Northern Depot ↗Skykomish, WA
- 5 miStevens Pass Guard Station ↗Skykomish, WA
- 14.7 miVerlot Ranger Station--Public Service Center ↗Granite Falls, 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 Wild Sky Wilderness?
105,543 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Wild Sky Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Wild Sky Wilderness in?
Washington.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Wild Sky Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2008.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Wild Sky 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 Wild Sky Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 47.857° N, 121.397° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Wild Sky Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest King at 27 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Wild Sky Wilderness?
The National Register has 8 listings within 15 miles, including Evergreen Mountain Lookout and Baring Bridge.
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.