Most noted for a wide range of recreation opportunities, there truly is "something for everyone" who likes to have fun in the outdoors.
Photo credit: USDA Forest Service
The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest encompasses more than 4-million acres in Washington state and stretches north to south from the Canadian border to the Goat Rocks Wilderness - a distance of about 180 miles. The forest lies east of the Cascade Crest, which defines its western boundary. The eastern edge of the forest extends into the Okanogan highlands, then south along the Okanogan and Columbia Rivers, and then to the Yakima River valley. Because of this wide geographic range, the forest is very diverse - from the high, glaciated alpine peaks along the Cascade Crest and the numerous mountain ranges extending eastward from the crest, through deep, lush valleys of old growth forest, to the dry and rugged shrub-steppe country at its eastern edge. Elevations range from below 1,000 ft. to over 9,000 ft. Precipitation varies widely - from more than 70-inches along the crest to less than 10-inches at its eastern edge. This of course greatly affects the forest and vegetation types across the area.
The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest is most noted for a wide range of recreation opportunities. There truly is something for everyone who likes to have fun in the outdoors.
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Forest resources provide significant public benefits in water, forage, wildlife, habitat, wood, recreation, and minerals. While these resources are managed under the multiple use concept to provide the public with a wide variety of benefits, an important emphasis of that management is to maintain and enhance sustainable ecosystems for future generations.
Alpine Lakes Wilderness - The popular Alpine Lakes Wilderness encompasses approximately 394,000 acres in the Central Cascades Region within Washington state.
Glacier Peak Wilderness - The area is characterized by heavily forested stream courses, steep-sided valleys, and rugged glacier covered peaks.
Henry M. Jackson Wilderness - Here you will find glacial basins surrounded by ragged ridgelines supporting sharp spires and rock towers.
Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness - This Wilderness encompasses a diverse mixture of dense forest, meadows, alpine slopes, geology, and high country.
Pasayten Wilderness - More than 600 miles of trails provide access to the Wilderness, many of them deceptively gentle at the start and become progressively labor-intensive as they climb up multiple switchbacks into the higher elevations.
William O. Douglas Wilderness - The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, which extends from Mexico to Canada, runs along the 27 mile crest of this Wilderness.
