Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest extends more than 140 miles along the western Cascades in Washington and, because of its proximity to Puget Sound, is the most visited national forest in the United States. Formed administratively in 1974 from the older Mount Baker and Snoqualmie national forests, it includes steep mountain terrain, prominent volcanoes, extensive old growth, and more glaciers and snowfields than any national forest outside Alaska. Much of its land is protected in wilderness and wild and scenic rivers, preserving important habitat. At the same time, shrinking glaciers have reduced streamflow, warmed waters, and harmed salmon and other species.