The William O. Douglas Wilderness is a 169,081-acre protected area in central Washington, designated in 1984 as part of the Washington Wilderness Act. Managed by the Okanogan-Wenatchee and Gifford Pinchot national forests, it adjoins Mount Rainier National Park and neighboring wilderness areas, forming an important part of Washington’s public wildlands. Named for Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, who grew up in Yakima and had deep personal and conservation ties to the Cougar Lakes country, it also honors his environmental legacy. Its varied landscape includes high forests, ridges, peaks, alpine lakes, basalt tablelands, and part of the Pacific Crest Trail along the Cascade crest.