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 Goat Rocks Wildernesses just to the north and south, respectively. Non-Wilderness roads drive into the area from the north, up Bumping River to a non-Wilderness central section around Bumping Lake. From the lake, the wild terrain rises west and east to high, broad ridges capped with rock summits. Subalpine meadows and thick old-growth forestland of fir, hemlock, and cedar distinguish the lower elevations. Beyond the east ridge, the land descends to open ridges and tall ponderosa pine.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Washington |
| Size | 168,955 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 46.80° N, 121.31° 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
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary and 31 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
20 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.
Trails
65 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 481 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| PCT: Gifford Pinchot ↗ | 151 | |
| American Ridge ↗ | 25.7 | |
| Indian Creek ↗ | 20.3 | |
| PCT: Naches Central ↗ | 19.4 | |
| Rattlesnake ↗ | 15.6 | |
| Pleasant Valley Loop ↗ | 13.4 | |
| Mount Aix ↗ | 13.3 | |
| Mud Springs 1613-696 ↗ | 11.4 | |
| Little Bald ↗ | 10.6 | |
| Ironstone Mountain ↗ | 10.3 |
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
- PrescribedPackwood Lake Piles Rx - North
19 mi from the center point
- WildfireGarda Falls
21 mi from the center point · 308 acres · 0% contained
- PrescribedHorse Piles Rx - North
27 mi from the center point
- PrescribedCle Elum Pile Burn Rx
29 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
- 7.2 miYakima Park Stockade Group ↗National Historic Landmark
- under 0.1 miBumping Lake Resort ↗Naches, WA
- under 0.1 miBumping Lake Cabin No. 16 ↗Naches, WA
- under 0.1 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
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 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?
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 William O. Douglas Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 46.797° N, 121.305° W. 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 2026-11-01, the nearest Packwood Lake Piles Rx - North at 19 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
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
Are there historic places near William O. Douglas Wilderness?
The National Register has 25 listings within 15 miles, including Yakima Park Stockade Group and Bumping Lake Resort.
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.