Colonel Bob Wilderness is a

protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural or cultural values. Protected areas are those areas in which human presence or the exploitation of natural resources (e.g. firewood ...

located in the southwest corner of

Olympic National Forest Olympic National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in Washington. With an area of , it nearly surrounds Olympic National Park and the Olympic Mountain range. Olympic National Forest contains parts of Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, ...

in the state of

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

. It is named after 19th-century orator

Robert Green Ingersoll Robert Green Ingersoll (; August 11, 1833 – July 21, 1899), nicknamed "the Great Agnostic", was an American lawyer, writer, and orator during the Golden Age of Free Thought, who campaigned in defense of agnosticism. Personal life Robert Inge ...

Lake Quinault Lake Quinault ( or ) is a lake on the Olympic Peninsula in western Washington state. It is located in the glacial-carved Quinault Valley of the Quinault River, at the southern edge of Olympic National Park in the northwestern United States. One ...

lies about to the west. Elevations in the wilderness vary from to above sea level. The highest elevation is an unnamed peak; the second-highest elevation is

Colonel Bob Mountain Colonel Bob is a summit in the Colonel Bob Wilderness, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state. It is one of the highest points in Grays Harbor County, the highest being named Gibson Peak. A Henry Fisher map from 1890 depicts Colonel Bo ...

at . The wilderness is a

temperate rain forest Temperate rainforests are rainforests with coniferous or broadleaf forests that occur in the temperate zone and receive heavy rain. Temperate rainforests occur in oceanic moist regions around the world: the Pacific temperate rainforests of Nor ...

with annual rainfall greater than .

History

In 1984, the

U.S. Congress The United States Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a bicameral legislature, including a lower body, the U.S. House of Representatives, and an upper body, the U.S. Senate. They both ...

established five wilderness areas within the

: * Buckhorn Wilderness * Colonel Bob Wilderness * Mount Skokomish Wilderness * The Brothers Wilderness *

Wonder Mountain Wilderness Wonder Mountain Wilderness is a designated wilderness area encompassing Wonder Mountain (Olympic Mountains), Wonder Mountain in the Olympic National Forest on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington (state), Washington in the United States. The wild ...

The Colonel Bob Wilderness sits on the southern flank of the Olympic Wilderness, which was created in 1988.

Recreation

More than of trails provide access to the wilderness for backpacking, camping, hunting, and mountain climbing. Access by road is via South Shore Quinault Lake Road to the north, or FS Road 2204 to the south. Access by trail is by Colonel Bob Trail #851, Pete's Creek Trail #858, and Fletcher Canyon Trail #857.

References

External links

Colonel Bob Wilderness
U.S. Forest Service
Colonel Bob Wilderness
Wilderness.net (The University of Montana)
U.S. Geological Survey Map
at the U.S. Geological Survey Map Website. Retrieved March 31, 2023. {{Protected Areas of Washington Protected areas of Grays Harbor County, Washington Protected areas of Jefferson County, Washington Wilderness areas of Washington (state) Olympic Mountains Olympic National Forest 1984 establishments in Washington (state) Protected areas established in 1984