Things to do / Travel Guide
Come play in one of America's oldest national forests. From the bald eagle to the marbled murrelet, there's enough diversity at Gifford Pinchot National Forest to please the pickiest of naturalists!
Formerly known as the Columbia National Forest, the forest was renamed in 1949 for Gifford Pinchot, an active conservationist and visionary environmentalist. Gifford Pinchot National Forest covers a good portion of the incredible Cascades, including Mount St. Helens, Mount Rainier, Columbia River Gorge and the extensive Yakama Indian Reservation. The forest also includes the 110,000 acre Mount St. Helen's National Volcanic Monument, established by Congress in 1982. Besides great hiking, backpacking, and mountain climbing, visitors can enjoy quiet walks in the woods or explore Mount St. Helens from the easy surroundings of the Coldwater Ridge Visitor Center or the Johnston Ridge Observatory.
Gifford Pinchot National Forest is an excellent place for canoeing, kayaking, and rafting, due to the abundant precipitation in the area. Nature lovers should stay on the lookout for threatened and endangered species including the bald eagle, bull trout, chinook, coho, steelhead, the northern spotted owl, the gray wolf, the grizzly bear and marbled murrelett, all of which make this Forest a natural wonderland!
Gifford Pinchot National Forest is located in southwest Washington State and lies between Mount Rainier National Park and the Columbia River Gorge.
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Tourist Attractions Near Gifford Pinchot National Forest - Washington