Goat Rocks Wilderness is a

U.S. wilderness area The National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS) of the United States protects federally managed wilderness areas designated for preservation in their natural condition. Activity on formally designated wilderness areas is coordinated by the Na ...

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

, comprising of Okanagan–Wenatchee National Forest and

Gifford Pinchot National Forest Gifford Pinchot National Forest is a National Forest located in southern Washington, managed by the United States Forest Service. With an area of 1.32 million acres (5300 km2), it extends 116 km along the western slopes of Cascade Ran ...

on the crest of the Cascade Range south of U.S. Highway 12. Its central feature is a number of rugged peaks, the Goat Rocks, that are named after the numerous

mountain goats The mountain goat (''Oreamnos americanus''), also known as the Rocky Mountain goat, is a hoofed mammal endemic to mountainous areas of western North America. A subalpine to alpine species, it is a sure-footed climber commonly seen on cliffs and ...

that live in the area. Extinct for some two million years, a volcano with an elevation of once dominated this landscape. The eroded remnant of this volcano consists of rugged peaks that average over elevation. The highest point among them is Gilbert Peak, at with a prominence of . On the shaded northern slopes of the major peaks are the Packwood, McCall, Conrad, and Meade glaciers. The wilderness is drained by the North and South Forks of the Tieton, Cispus, and

Cowlitz Cowlitz may refer to: People * Cowlitz people, an indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest ** Cowlitz language, member of the Tsamosan branch of the Coast Salish family of Salishan languages * Cowlitz Indian Tribe, a federally recognized tribe of ...

rivers and their tributaries. The lowest point in the wilderness is near

Packwood Lake Packwood Lake is a freshwater lake in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in the Cascade Mountains of Washington. It is located near the town of Packwood and is a popular day hiking and overnight camping area. The southern half of the lake lies ...

at 2,920 feet (890 m).

History

The wilderness values of this area were first recognized on February 13, 1931, when approximately 44,500 acres (180 km²) were dedicated by the

U.S. Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of comme ...

, Forest Service, as the Goat Rocks Primitive Area. In 1935, this was expanded to 72,440 acres (293 km²). In 1940, the area was increased to 82,680 acres (335 km²) and designated the Goat Rocks Wild Area by the Chief of the Forest Service. When

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...

passed the

Wilderness Act The Wilderness Act of 1964 () was written by Howard Zahniser of The Wilderness Society. It created the legal definition of wilderness in the United States, and protected 9.1 million acres (37,000 km²) of federal land. The result of a lon ...

on September 3, 1964, this wild area became a wilderness, part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Congress added additional area in 1984. Forest Service management is designated to preserve and enhance the wild character of the Wilderness while providing for public use and enjoyment.

Recreation

The

Pacific Crest Trail The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), officially designated as the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, is a long-distance hiking and equestrian trail closely aligned with the highest portion of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges, which lie ...

(PCT), stretching from Canada to Mexico, passes through the Goat Rocks. The Washington State portion of this trail was formerly known as the Washington Cascade Crest Trail completed in 1935. In 1968, it was designated as part of the PCT by the National Trail System Act. The

Yakama Indian Reservation The Yakama Indian Reservation (spelled Yakima until 1994) is a Native American reservation in Washington state of the federally recognized tribe known as the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. The tribe is made up of Klikitat, ...

, bordering the Goat rocks Wilderness on the southeast side, is closed to the general public except for the Pacific Crest Trail route.

References

External links

Goat Rocks Wilderness
U.S. Forest Service
Goat Rocks Wilderness
Wilderness.net (The University of Montana) {{Authority control Goat Rocks Wilderness areas of Washington (state) Gifford Pinchot National Forest Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Protected areas of Lewis County, Washington Protected areas of Yakima County, Washington IUCN Category Ib Protected areas established in 1964 1964 establishments in Washington (state)