Washington State | The Wilderness Land Trust

WASHINGTON

In Washington the Trust has protected more than

1,837 acres in 6 wilderness areas
Adding 16 properties to public lands with 10 more properties waiting to transfer
Completing 1 wilderness area by removing the last remaining inholding

Washington’s designated wilderness areas are incredibly diverse, ranging from hundreds of small islands off the western coast, to towering, glaciated mountains, to dry, wind-swept sand dunes in the south-central part of the state.

A number of Washington’s designated wilderness areas reside within the fabled North Cascades Ecosystem, one of America’s largest expanses of wild public lands.

Wilderness allows visitors the opportunity to unmask, breathe deep and find refuge from the modern world. These unique landscapes leave a person reveling in their raw beauty and the assurance that they will remain wild and free, now and for future generations.

And yet, there are dangers within these wilderness areas that threaten their resiliency. Some 3,600 acres of privately owned lands grandfathered into Washington’s wilderness areas have left them vulnerable to mineral extraction, logging and private development.

(1) WILD SKY WILDERNESS

The Wild Sky Wilderness is home to high peaks and alpine lakes, and located just over an hour outside Seattle, it provides important close-to-home wilderness access for the city’s diverse residents. Most of the remaining private wilderness inholdings in the Wild Sky Wilderness are located in one area within the Silver Creek drainage, creating a dense patchwork of ownership and leaving the Silver Creek salmon spawning grounds at risk of development.

Most of these projects are expected to transfer as one package in 2024 for improved efficiency.

(2) HENRY M. JACKSON WILDERNESS

(3) MOUNT BAKER WILDERNESS

FOURTH OF JULY LODE

21 acres

The Fourth of July Lode is the site of one of the 13 remaining glaciers in the Mount Baker Wilderness. This fragile high alpine ecosystem is sensitive to disturbance and climate change. The property was one of only four remaining private inholdings left in the Mount Baker Wilderness, and with it’s successful acquisition we are one step closer to completing this wilderness area.

Recently Completed Washington State Projects

New protections for Washington and California’s wild places

February 23, 2024

Celebrating 345 acres added to Washington’s wilderness

May 22, 2023

The Value of Conservation in the Mount Baker Wilderness

February 17, 2023

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WASHINGTON

In Washington the Trust has protected more than

1,837 acres in 6 wilderness areas

Adding 16 properties to public lands with 10 more properties waiting to transfer

Completing 1 wilderness area by removing the last remaining inholding

Recently Completed Washington State Projects

Stay Connected