Clearwater Wilderness is a

wilderness area Wilderness or wildlands (usually in the plural), are natural environments on Earth that have not been significantly modified by human activity or any nonurbanized land not under extensive agricultural cultivation. The term has traditionally re ...

in the North Cascades mountain range, in northern

Washington state Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a U.S. state, state in the Northwestern United States, Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first President of the United States, U.S. p ...

, of the Northwestern United States. It is located in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, southeast of Tacoma in northeastern Pierce County. It was created by Congress in 1984, under the 1964 Wilderness Act that established the National Wilderness Preservation System. Its southern border reachesreaches

Mount Rainier National Park Mount Rainier National Park is an American national park located in southeast Pierce County and northeast Lewis County in Washington state. The park was established on March 2, 1899, as the fourth national park in the United States, preservin ...

, affording views of

Mount Rainier Mount Rainier (), indigenously known as Tahoma, Tacoma, Tacobet, or təqʷubəʔ, is a large active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest, located in Mount Rainier National Park about south-southeast of Seattle. With a ...

from its trails.

Description

Bearhead Mountain, the highest peak of the Clearwater Wilderness, is in elevation. Below are the headwaters of the north-flowing Clearwater River, and many streams. Eight small lakes, including Summit Lake, are within the wilderness area. Old-growth forests of

Douglas fir The Douglas fir (''Pseudotsuga menziesii'') is an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. It is native to western North America and is also known as Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Oregon pine, and Columbian pine. There are three v ...

, western hemlock and western redcedar are protected, and are reachable by hiking trails. The forest understory is made up mostly of

fern A fern (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta ) is a member of a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. The polypodiophytes include all living pteridophytes exce ...

s and

moss Mosses are small, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic division Bryophyta (, ) '' sensu stricto''. Bryophyta ('' sensu lato'', Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryophytes, which comprise liverworts, mosses, and ...

es. The season between October and May receives 90 percent of the area's annual precipitation. Snow in amounts reaching can remain as late as July in high areas. Wildlife in the area includes bears, deer, marmots, elk, cougars and pikas, as well as birds like eagles, grouse and songbirds.

Trails

* Summit Lake Trail is an easy hike up to Summit Lake.

can be seen from a high point near the lake. * Clearwater Trail is a difficult hike over the Clearwater River and a number of creeks, and through old growth and meadows. * Carbon Trail has the same trailhead as Clearwater Trail and meanders south for to join the Summit Lake Trail.

Gallery

Rainierreflect1.jpg,

, seen from the Clearwater Wilderness Summit Lake Trail 1177 — 015 (Twin Lake).jpg, Twin Lake, on the Summit Lake Trail Summit Lake Trail 1177, WA (DSC 0640).jpg, Summit Lake trail

References

External links

*
Clearwater Wilderness on the United States Forest Service website

Clearwater Wilderness on Wilderness.net

Clearwater Wilderness Trail Guides - Map
* {{Protected areas of Washington (state) Wilderness areas of Washington (state) Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest North Cascades of Washington (state) Old-growth forests Protected areas of Pierce County, Washington Protected areas established in 1984 1984 establishments in Washington (state)