The Buckhorn Wilderness is a 44,319 acre mountainous wilderness area on the northeastern Olympic Peninsula in Washington, USA. Named after Buckhorn Mountain (6,988 ft), the wilderness abuts the eastern boundary of Olympic National Park which includes nearby Mount Constance (7,756 ft), Inner Constance (7,667 ft), Warrior Peak (7,320 ft), and Mount Deception (7,788 ft).

History

In 1984, the U.S. Congress established five wilderness areas within the Olympic National Forest: Buckhorn Wilderness is the largest of the five, all of which sit on the eastern flank of the Olympic Wilderness within Olympic National Park. Buckhorn Wilderness is administered by the Hood Canal Ranger District of the Olympic National Forest.

Geography

The lowest elevations of the Buckhorn Wilderness are found in the lower parts of the three principal drainages: 2470 ft at the Big Quilcene River, 2700 ft at the Dungeness River, and 3300 ft at Townsend Creek. The highest point in the wilderness is 7139 ft at the summit of Mount Fricaba, which lies on the western boundary of the wilderness area, shared by Olympic National Park. The tallest peak entirely within the wilderness is Buckhorn Mountain at 6988 ft. A notable historical site in the Buckhorn Wilderness is the Tubal Cain mine.

Ecology

The wilderness lies within the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, resulting in a relatively drier climate. Despite this, the lowland forests (below about 4,000 feet) are still dominated by stands of old-growth western red cedar, western hemlock, and Douglas fir, in addition to numerous understory organisms such as devil's club, salal, thimbleberry, fungi, and mosses. Above about 6000 ft, alpine vegetation prevails where conditions are not too dry. Some slopes, such as the south side of Buckhorn Mountain, are rather arid above tree line due to fast-draining soils, sunny exposure, and low precipitation in the summer months.

Recreation

More than 54 mi of trails provide access to the wilderness for backpacking, horseback riding, mountain climbing, hunting, hiking, camping, viewing wildlife, and fishing.