Detailed Map

COLONEL BOB WILDERNESS
Olympic National Forest
1835 Black Lake Blvd.
Olympia, WA 98512
(360) 956-2300
Web site http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/olympic/

Colonel Bob Wilderness is located east of Lake Quinault in the southwest corner of the Olympic National Forest on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. It was created by the 1984 Wilderness Act. This 11,964 acre wilderness contains steep, rugged topography with elevations ranging from 300 feet to over 4,500 feet.

This Wilderness lies within the Olympic's temperate rain forest with an annual precipitation that exceeds 150 inches annually. The lower slopes are heavily forested with stands of western hemlock, Sitka spruce, western redcedar and Douglas-fir. Lush ferns, shrubs, moss, wild flowers and lichens carpet the forest floor. At the higher elevations, subalpine and alpine vegetation, green meadows, rock outcrops and rugged peaks dominate the wilderness landscape. The view of Lake Quinault is spectacular.

The Colonel Bob Wilderness presents opportunities for hiking, nature study, hunting, mountain climbing and backpacking. There are only 12 miles of trail inside his Wilderness. Visitors should always carry rain gear and adequate clothing, food and backpacking equipment. Proper boots and clothing should be worn. This part of Washington State receives an significant amount of rain and can occur at anytime.