Okanogan National Forest

The Okanogan National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in northern and western Okanogan County in north-central Washington State, United States. The 1,499,013-acre (2,342.2 sq mi, or 6066.3 km²) forest is bordered on the north by Canada, on the east by Colville National Forest, on the south by the divide between the Methow and the Stehekin-Lake Chelan valleys, and on the west by North Cascades National Park. Pasayten Wilderness and the northeast portion of Lake-Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness are part of the forest. The western part of the forest is wetter than the dry and less temperate east. The vegetation varies similarly, from the western boreal forest, to the eastern high-elevation steppe. A 1993 United States Forest Service study estimated that the extent of old growth in the Forest was 316,000 acres (128,000 ha),^[1] a majority of which was Lodgepole Pine forests. The closest significant communities are Omak and Okanogan. Managed by the Forest Service together with Wenatchee National Forest, its headquarters is in Wenatchee. There are local ranger district offices located in Tonasket and Winthrop. It is the second-largest National Forest (after the Nez Perce National Forest in Idaho) that is contained entirely within one county.

Okanogan National Forest was established on July 1, 1911 from a portion of Chelan National Forest. On July 1, 1921 the entire forest was transferred back to Chelan, but on March 23, 1955 Chelan became Okanogan.^[2]

360° panorama near the summit of Goat Peak in Okanogan National Forest. Photographed on a September afternoon, this photo includes sweeping views of the Methow River Valley and the greater Cascade Range including glaciated Silver Star Mountain. High ice clouds create sun dogs on either side of the sun. Goat Peak Lookout is prominent on the righthand side.

References

1. ^ Bolsinger, Charles L.; Waddell, Karen L. (1993), Area of old-growth forests in California, Oregon, and Washington, United States Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Resource Bulletin PNW-RB-197, http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_rb197.pdf 
2. ^ Davis, Richard C. (September 29, 2005), National Forests of the United States, The Forest History Society, http://www.foresthistory.org/ASPNET/Places/National%20Forests%20of%20the%20U.S.pdf 

External links

Media related to Okanogan National Forest at Wikimedia Commons

• Official web site

Coordinates: 48°33′06″N 120°23′06″W / 48.5517°N 120.385°W / 48.5517; -120.385