Goat Rocks Wilderness
Goat Rocks Wilderness is a U.S. wilderness area in Washington, United States, comprising 108,096 acres (43,745 ha) of Okanagan–Wenatchee National Forest and Gifford Pinchot National Forest 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 that live in the area.
| Goat Rocks Wilderness | |
|---|---|
IUCN category Ib (wilderness area) | |
| Location | Lewis / Yakima counties, Washington, USA |
| Nearest city | Yakima, WA |
| Coordinates | 46°30′44″N 121°27′14″W |
| Area | 108,096 acres (437.45 km2) |
| Established | September 3, 1964 |
| Governing body | U.S. Forest Service |
| Goat Rocks Wilderness | |
Extinct for some two million years, a volcano with an elevation of 12,000 feet (3,700 m) once dominated this landscape. The eroded remnant of this volcano consists of rugged peaks that average over 7,000 feet (2,100 m) elevation. The highest point among them is Gilbert Peak, at 8,184 feet (2,494 m) with a prominence of 3,664 feet (1,117 m). 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 rivers and their tributaries. The lowest point in the wilderness is near Packwood Lake at 2,920 feet (890 m).