Olympic National Forest
| Olympic National Forest | |
|---|---|
IUCN category VI (protected area with sustainable use of natural resources) | |
 | |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 526: Unable to find the specified location map definition: "Module:Location map/data/USA relief" does not exist. | |
| Location | Washington, USA |
| Nearest city | Quinault, WA |
| Area | 628,115 acres (2,541.89 km2)[1] |
| Established | February 22, 1897[2] |
| Governing body | U.S. Forest Service |
| www | |
Olympic National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in Washington, USA. With an area of 628,115 acres (2,541.89 km2), it nearly surrounds Olympic National Park and the Olympic Mountain range. Olympic National Forest contains parts of Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, and Mason counties. The landscape of the national forest varies, from the temperate Olympic rain forest to the salt water fjord of Hood Canal to the peaks of Mt. Washington.
Annual precipitation averages about 220 inches (5.6 m), giving rise to streams such as the Humptulips River.
Olympic National Forest was originally created as Olympic Forest Reserve in 1897, then renamed to Olympic National Forest in 1907. A 1993 Forest Service study estimated that the extent of old growth in the Forest was 266,800 acres (108,000 ha).[3] It is administered in two ranger districts: the Pacific Ranger District on the west side of the Olympic Peninsula, and the Hood Canal Ranger District on the east side.
Forest headquarters are located in Olympia, with ranger district offices in Forks, Quinault, and Quilcene. The former office in Hoodsport closed in 2005, and now houses a local Chamber of Commerce, which still sells Northwest Forest Passes.
Other Washington towns near entrances of the forest include Port Angeles, Sequim, and Amanda Park.
Points of interest
Wilderness areas
- The Brothers Wilderness
- Buckhorn Wilderness
- Colonel Bob Wilderness
- Mt. Skokomish Wilderness
- Wonder Mountain Wilderness
References
- ^ "Land Areas of the National Forest System" (PDF). U.S. Forest Service. January 2012. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
- ^ "The National Forests of the United States" (PDF). ForestHistory.org. Retrieved July 30, 2012.
- ^ Bolsinger, Charles L.; Waddell, Karen L. (1993), Area of old-growth forests in California, Oregon, and Washington (PDF), United States Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Resource Bulletin PNW-RB-197
External links
- IUCN Category VI
- National Forests of Washington (state)
- Protected areas of Clallam County, Washington
- Protected areas of Grays Harbor County, Washington
- Protected areas of Jefferson County, Washington
- Protected areas of Mason County, Washington
- Protected areas established in 1897
- Olympic National Forest
- Washington (state) protected area stubs