Gifford Pinchot National Forest | |
---|---|
Location | Washington, US |
Nearest city | Amboy, Washington |
Coordinates | 46°10′N 121°49′W / 46.167°N 121.817°W[1] |
Area | 1,321,506 acres (5,347.95 km2)[2] |
Established | July 1, 1908[3] |
Visitors | 1,800,000 (in 2005) |
Governing body | U.S. Forest Service |
Website | https://www.fs.usda.gov/giffordpinchot/ |
Gifford Pinchot National Forest is a National Forest located in southern Washington, managed by the United States Forest Service. With an area of 1.32 million acres (5,300 km2), it extends 116 km (72 mi) along the western slopes of Cascade Range from Mount Rainier National Park to the Columbia River. The forest straddles the crest of the South Cascades of Washington State, spread out over broad old-growth forests, high mountain meadows, several glaciers, and numerous volcanic peaks. The forest's highest point is at 12,276 ft (3,742 m) at the top of Mount Adams, the second-tallest volcano in the state after Rainier. Often found abbreviated GPNF on maps and in texts, it includes the 110,000-acre (450 km2) Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, established by Congress in 1982.