William O. Douglas Wilderness
This magnificent region pays tribute to the Wilderness-loving Supreme Court justice who often explored the area on foot. It lies bordered to the west by Mount Rainier National Park, with Norse Peak and...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Washington |
| Size | 168,955 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 46.7967, -121.3053 |
| 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.
Where to camp
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary and 33 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
22 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 3 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 2 trailheads, 1 campground. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 10 miTrailhead: Kincaid ↗Trailhead
- 11 miTrailhead: Cortright ↗Trailhead
- 4 miDeep Creek Trailhead - Naches RD ↗Campground
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Fire nearby
- WildfireWest Fork
22 mi from the center point · 310 acres · 16% contained
- WildfireThree Queens
43 mi from the center point · 9,558 acres · 23% contained
- WildfireKing
47 mi from the center point · 3,298 acres · 0% contained
- WildfireKoffman
47 mi from the center point · 20 acres
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 miBumping Lake Resort ↗Naches, WA
- 0 miBumping Lake Cabin No. 16 ↗Naches, WA
- 0 miThree Lakes Patrol Cabin ↗Ohanapecosh, WA
- 0.5 miChinook Pass Entrance Arch ↗Chinook Pass Entrance, WA
- 0.7 miTipsoo Lake Comfort Station ↗Chinook Pass, WA
- 2.6 miShriner Peak Fire Lookout ↗Ohanapecosh, WA
- 3 miWhite River Mess Hall and Dormitory ↗White River Entrance, WA
- 3.8 miOhanapecosh Comfort Station No. O-302 ↗Ohanapecosh, WA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is William O. Douglas Wilderness?
168,955 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages William O. Douglas Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is William O. Douglas Wilderness in?
Washington.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was William O. Douglas Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at William O. Douglas Wilderness?
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary, including Pine Needle Group Site. 34 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 William O. Douglas Wilderness?
The Forest Service lists 3 recreation sites here, including 2 trailheads and 1 campground campground. Each one links to its Forest Service page.
Source: Trailheads and sites
How do I get to William O. Douglas Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 46.797, -121.305. Mount Rainier National Park is 9 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near William O. Douglas Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest West Fork at 22 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at William O. Douglas Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 12 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 William O. Douglas Wilderness?
Mount Rainier National Park (9 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.