Henry M. Jackson Wilderness, Protected wilderness area in the Cascade Range, Washington, United States
The Henry M. Jackson Wilderness is a 103,297-acre protected area spanning the Cascade Range in Chelan, King and Snohomish counties, Washington. Its steep slopes and finger ridges are cut by streams draining north to the Sauk River and south to the Skykomish River. A tall forest of western redcedar, Douglas fir and hemlocks thins with elevation into subalpine and alpine meadows. About 30 lakes lie within it, including turquoise-green Blanca Lake, reached by a 3.5-mile trail.
The area received its protected status in 1984 under the Washington Wilderness Act, at a time when support for preserving wild lands in the Pacific Northwest was growing. It was named after Senator Henry M. Jackson, who had worked for decades in Washington D.C. to advance federal protections for natural areas.
The reserve is named for Senator Henry M. Jackson of Washington, who helped secure designation of many of the state's wildernesses; the 1984 Washington Wilderness Act created this one. Cross-Cascade Indian trails ran parallel to the Little Wenatchee River, and the 1860 E. F. Cady exploring party followed them, leaving its name on Cady Pass and Cady Creek.
The reserve can be entered from several trailheads on both the western and eastern sides, which makes it possible to plan routes in different directions. Higher elevations bring rapidly changing weather, so checking conditions before heading out is a good idea at any time of year.
Blanca Lake, located within the reserve, has a distinctive turquoise-green color that comes from glacial melt carrying suspended mineral particles into the water. This effect, common in glacial lakes, gives the water a look that stands out clearly from most other mountain lakes in the region.
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