Facts & Figures

Summary of Selected Characteristics

• Acres in Mt. Jefferson Wilderness: 111,177 (about 175 square miles)
• Marion Lake Acres: 360
• Elevation: 4,100 feet
• Ann Lake Acres: 18
• Vegetation: Heavily timbered, dominated by Douglas-fir and true fir types
• Wildlife: Black-tailed deer, black bear.
• Fish: Rainbow trout, brook trout and cutthroat trout
• Birds: Osprey, as well as a nesting pair of bald eagles.

Summary of Human Use

• Access: From the northwest,it is a relatively short 2.5 mile hike from the Marion Lake Trailhead located at the end of the Marion Creek Road. From the interior of the wilderness the Marion Lake Area can be accessed by the Lake of the Woods Trail from the northeast, the Minto Pass Trail from the southeast, and the Blue Lake Trail from the south.
• Recent Use: Between 3000 and 6000 visitors per year.
• Average group size of visitors: 3-4
• Average number of years people have been visiting Marion: 8
• Average number of nights people stay within Marion Area: 2

Summary of Impacts -- Summer 2002

(Wilderness workers meticulously documented their findings during the 2002 summer season. Below are their findings.)

• Number of abandoned campfires: 7
• Number of illegal campfire rings: 48
• Number of wildfires likely started by abandoned campfire: 1
• Number of piles of human waste found and buried: 332
• Number of 4-gallon sized garbage bags filled with trash: 53
• A partial list of other items found that did not fit in trash bags: 2 rubber rafts, a cooking set, 2- 30 gallon bags of trash, a grill, a frying pan, sunglasses, 2 saws, propane fuel, a 3-foot deep trash pit filled with beer cans, 2 sheets of plywood, an empty barrel, and a fishing net.