Glacier Peak Wilderness is a 566,057-acre protected backcountry in Washington’s central North Cascades, spanning rugged river valleys, steep mountain basins, forests, and glacier-covered peaks. At its center rises Glacier Peak, a 10,541-foot volcano of basalt, pumice, and ash formed during heavy glaciation, and one of the most remote major volcanic peaks in the Cascade Range. Created by the U.S. Forest Service in 1960 through conservation advocacy, the wilderness preserved one of the Cascades’ least road-accessible regions before federal wilderness legislation followed. Its ecosystems range from dense lowland forests to drier eastern slopes, supporting diverse wildlife, and its severe snow, cold, and isolation make it one of Washington’s most demanding mountain landscapes.