Mount Baker Wilderness
Mount Baker has shown steamy signs of life as recently as 1975. The volcanic mountain stands at 10,778 feet, making it the fourth highest summit in the state and the dominant feature in the southern portion...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Washington |
| Size | 119,966 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 48.8477, -121.7345 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 13) |
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
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 10 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 mountain Climbing. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 6 miMt. Baker Summit - Climbing ↗Mountain Climbing
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
38 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 131 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| High Divide ↗ | 13 | |
| Elbow Lake ↗ | 8.7 | |
| Swift Creek ↗ | 8 | |
| Silesia Creek ↗ | 7 | |
| Bell Pass ↗ | 6 | |
| Ridley Creek ↗ | 6 | |
| Chain Lakes ↗ | 5.5 | |
| Skyline Divide ↗ | 5.5 | |
| Hannegan Pass ↗ | 5 | |
| Ptarmigan Ridge ↗ | 5 |
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
- WildfireElectric
19 mi from the center point · 495 acres · 90% contained
- WildfireLuna
24 mi from the center point · 7,879 acres · 53% contained
- WildfireBorder 2
34 mi from the center point · 8,284 acres · 70% contained
- WildfireThunder Creek
38 mi from the center point · 715 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
- 0 miWinchester Mountain Lookout ↗Sedro Wooley, WA
- 0 miPark Butte Lookout ↗Sedro Wooley, WA
- 0.1 miInternational Boundary US--Canada ↗Hozomeen, WA
- 0.8 miAustin Pass Warming Hut ↗Glacier, WA
- 0.9 miNooksack Falls Hydroelectric Power Plant ↗Glacier, WA
- 2.7 miCopper Mountain Fire Lookout ↗Newhalem, WA
- 3 miGlacier Ranger Station ↗Glacier, WA
- 5.1 miKoma Kulshan Ranger Station ↗Concrete, WA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Mount Baker Wilderness?
119,966 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Mount Baker Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Mount Baker Wilderness in?
Washington.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Mount Baker Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Mount Baker Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Excelsior Group Camp, 0.7 miles out. 10 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 Mount Baker Wilderness?
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site here, including 1 mountain climbing. Each one links to its Forest Service page.
Source: Trailheads and sites
How do I get to Mount Baker Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 48.848, -121.734. North Cascades National Park is 18 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Mount Baker Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Electric at 19 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Mount Baker Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 13 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 Mount Baker Wilderness?
North Cascades National Park (18 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.
- 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.