The Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington State extends more than 140 miles along the western slopes of the Cascade Range from the Canadian border to the northern boundary of Mount Rainier National Park.
The Forest covers portions of Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, King, and Pierce Counties. Together, with the other central Puget Sound counties, 62% (3.63 million people) of the State's population lives within a 70-mile drive of the Forest. Another 1.5 million in the Vancouver, British Columbia metro area are also within easy reach of the northern part of the Forest.
The large population factor, coupled with easy road access, makes the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest one of the most visited National Forests in the country.
The Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest contains many scenic and historical points of interest. Mountain tops gradually rise from 5,000 to 6,000 feet on the south end of the forest to 7,000 to 8,000 feet in the north. Two tall volcanoes, Mount Baker and Glacier Peak, tower thousands of feet above the adjacent ridges. The Forest is home to more glaciers and snow fields than any other National Forest in the lower 48.
The area approaching the Cascade Crest is exceptionally rugged and scenic. In 1968 part of the Forest was transferred to the National Park Service as the North Cascades National Park. In addition, Congressional action since 1964 has established the following wilderness areas:
- Glacier Peak
- Alpine Lakes
- Mount Baker
- Noisy-Diobsud
- Boulder River
- Henry M. Jackson
- Norse Peak
- Clearwater
Congress also established the Skagit Wild and Scenic River system in 1978. Its 125 miles of river on the Skagit, Cascade, Sauk, and Suiattle Rivers provide important wildlife habitat and recreation. The Skagit River System is home to one of the largest winter populations of Bald Eagles in the United States.
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