Trapper Creek Wilderness

Trapper Creek Wilderness is a protected area within Gifford Pinchot National Forest featuring dense old-growth forest, steep ravines, and multiple waterways. The landscape encompasses thousands of acres of largely undisturbed woodland with established hiking routes throughout.

The U.S. Forest Service designated this area as a Wilderness Area in 1984 to protect the last remaining low-elevation old-growth forest in southern Washington. The designation recognized the ecological value of these original forest ecosystems.

The Mazamas, a Portland-based mountaineering organization, maintains several hiking trails throughout the wilderness area, including specialized trail markers from the 1980s.

Visitors need a Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass to park at trailheads and must obtain a self-issued Wilderness Permit before entering. Starting hikes early in the day helps avoid crowding on popular routes.

This site contains the only intact habitat for anadromous fish within the Wind River watershed and features a 100-foot waterfall cascading along Trapper Creek. The combination of this fish habitat and waterfall system makes the area ecologically significant.

Location: Skamania County

Operator: US Forest Service

GPS coordinates: 45.90492,-122.02538

Latest update: December 12, 2025 16:40