Henry M. Jackson Wilderness
Senator Henry Jackson of Washington was instrumental in the designation of many of the state's Wildernesses, and this "forest" of fabled peaks recalls his efforts. Straddling more than 30 miles of the...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Washington |
| Size | 102,919 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 47.9260, -121.2230 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 8) |
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. 6 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
28 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 171 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| PCT: Wenatchee River North ↗ | 36.1 | |
| Bald Eagle ↗ | 13.4 | |
| Quartz Creek ↗ | 11.4 | |
| Pilot Ridge ↗ | 11 | |
| North Fork Skykomish ↗ | 9.1 | |
| Meadow Creek ↗ | 8.1 | |
| West Cady Ridge ↗ | 7.7 | |
| Elliot Creek ↗ | 7.2 | |
| Little Wenatchee River ↗ | 6.9 | |
| Kelley Creek ↗ | 6 |
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
- WildfireLittle Giant
18 mi from the center point · 172,814 acres · 81% contained
- WildfireGamma Creek
19 mi from the center point · 29 acres
- WildfireMiners
21 mi from the center point · 149 acres · 0% contained
- WildfireKing
31 mi from the center point · 3,304 acres · 0% 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
- 1.3 miStevens Pass Guard Station ↗Skykomish, WA
- 1.9 miEvergreen Mountain Lookout ↗Skykomish, WA
- 8.7 miGreat Northern Depot ↗Skykomish, WA
- 8.7 miMaloney's General Store ↗Skykomish, WA
- 9.8 miLake Wenatchee Residence No. 1200 ↗Leavenworth, WA
- 11.1 miRed Men Hall ↗Index, WA
- 11.2 miBush House ↗Index, WA
- 14.7 miGreen Mountain Lookout ↗Darrington, WA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Henry M. Jackson Wilderness?
102,919 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Henry M. Jackson Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Henry M. Jackson Wilderness in?
Washington.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Henry M. Jackson Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Henry M. Jackson Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Bedal Campground, 1.1 miles out. 6 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 Henry M. Jackson Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 47.926, -121.223. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Henry M. Jackson Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Little Giant at 18 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Henry M. Jackson Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 8 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Are there historic places near Henry M. Jackson Wilderness?
9 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Stevens Pass Guard Station and Evergreen Mountain Lookout.
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.