Glacier View Wilderness
For an extravagant look at the glacier-covered west side of Mount Rainier, hike to the top of 5,450-foot Glacier View in the northwest corner of this Wilderness, which, coincidentally, shares a portion...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Washington |
| Size | 3,060 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 46.7959, -121.9322 |
| 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
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 4 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
4 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 8 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Puyallup | 2.5 | |
| Glacier View | 2.2 | |
| Lake Christine | 1.7 | |
| Peak Two | 1.4 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas, refreshed September 18, 2026. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- WildfireWest Fork
15 mi from the center point · 310 acres · 16% contained
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
- 0.1 miGobbler's Knob Fire Lookout ↗Nisqually Entrance, WA
- 0.7 miLake George Patrol Cabin ↗Longmire, WA
- 1.2 miSouth Puyallup River Bridge ↗Nisqually Entrance, WA
- 1.3 miSt. Andrews Creek Bridge ↗Nisqually Entrance, WA
- 1.3 miSt. Andrews Patrol Cabin ↗Nisqually Entrance, WA
- 1.7 miTahoma Vista Comfort Station ↗Nisqually Entrance, WA
- 2.6 miHershey, Peter L. and Emma, Homestead ↗Ashford, WA
- 3.6 miIndian Henry's Patrol Cabin ↗Longmire, WA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Glacier View Wilderness?
3,060 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Glacier View Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Glacier View Wilderness in?
Washington.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Glacier View Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Glacier View Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Big Creek, 2.8 miles out. 4 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
How do I get to Glacier View Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 46.796, -121.932. Mount Rainier National Park is 11 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Glacier View Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-18, the nearest West Fork at 15 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Glacier View Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 7 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 Glacier View Wilderness?
Mount Rainier National Park (11 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Glacier View Wilderness?
29 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Gobbler's Knob Fire Lookout and Lake George Patrol Cabin.
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.