Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest

One of the most visited forests in America due to its proximity to Seattle, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie spans 1.72 million acres along the western Cascades from the Canadian border to Mount Rainier National Park. Mount Baker holds the world record for measured snowfall in a single season (1,140 inches in 1998-99) and supports active glaciers feeding wild rivers below. The Alpine Lakes Wilderness protects over 394,000 acres of granite peaks and alpine lakes among the most popular backcountry destinations in Washington.\n\nAdditional wilderness areas -- Glacier Peak, Noisy-Diobsud, Mount Baker, Boulder River, Henry M. Jackson, and Wild Sky -- protect vast corridors of roadless terrain critical for wildlife connectivity. Old-growth western red cedar, Douglas fir, and Sitka spruce forests receive over 100 inches of rain annually, creating lush temperate rainforest ecosystems.\n\nThe forest provides critical watershed protection for millions of Puget Sound residents and habitat for threatened salmon and steelhead runs. Popular destinations include the Mount Baker Ski Area, Heather Meadows, the Mountain Loop Highway, and dozens of alpine lake basins accessible from I-90 and Highway 2 corridors.