Wilderness: Goat Rocks

The 108,023 acre Goat Rocks Wilderness is a part of the volcanic Cascade Mountain Range in southwestern Washington located between Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams. The Goat Rocks are remnants of a large volcano, extinct for some two million years.  A portion of Goat Rocks Wilderness is within the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.

Glaciation and erosion have worn away at the terrain here, leaving moderate summits on both sides of the crest of the Cascades. The elevation in the Goat Rocks ranges from 3,000 feet to 8,201 feet at Gilbert Peak. The deep east-west drainages below the ridges often open into park-like alpine meadows dotted with small lakes and even smaller ponds.

Annual snowfall typically equals more than 25 feet, not melting entirely until late July or early August and keeping the ponds and lakes full in the warmer months. Pikas and marmots inhabit areas above timberline, while the more reserved deer and elk have been sighted at lower elevations.  Mountain goats frequent the higher elevations. Much of the 120-mile trail system stays on the ridges at or above timberline.

The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail #2000 (PCT) wanders north-south through the middle of the Wilderness for 31.1 miles, past 7,930-foot Old Snowy Mountain, where glaciers persist. Approximately 14 other trails climb to eventually join the Pacific Crest  Trail.

In General: Goat Rocks and PCT receive heavy hiker traffic from August to September. Thousands of people  access this wilderness during peak season and people come from all over world to do so. Please always LEAVE NO TRACE Gifford Pinchot National Forest - Outdoor Safety & Ethics (usda.gov) Please always abide by Wilderness Regulations!

• Key access points: Trail and trailhead information.

At a Glance