The Long Swamp area is a large (70,000 acres), mountainous roadless area that lies contiguous on its northwest side to the Pasayten Wilderness.  The original Long Swamp inventoried area was larger, but the northern portion of the area was added to the Pasayten Wilderness in the 1984 Washington Wilderness Act.

Most of the Long Swamp roadless area was allocated under the Okanogan National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan to lynx/timber management. The goal of the management area is to provide habitat to support a stable lynx population over time while accessing the area for the purpose of growing and producing merchantable wood fibre. Road construction is permitted with restrictions to protect lynx. Other lands in the inventoried roadless area are allocated to scenery and research natural area. 

The topography varies greatly within the area.  The western portion is characterized by deep canyons with moderately steep slopes, topped by rounded or benched ridgetops.  The majority of the area is characterized by high, gentle ridges and meadows, but a number of streams have cut steep, deep canyons.  Elevations range from 2,000 to 7450 feet.

Recreation use is low except for moderate use on several trails which pass through the area as access to the Pasayten Wilderness.  Although most of the area is closed to motorized traffic during winter, designated ungroomed routes provide access for snowmobilers.  A major feature of the area is the large meadows on the eastern side.  The area has no developed recreation sites.

The Chewuch River, at the western edge of the area, and the lower reaches of several of the smaller streams draining the area support populations of three species listed under the Endangered Species Act: spring Chinook salmon, bull trout, summer steelhead.  The streams of the area are important in providing cool, clear water to maintain spawning and rearing habitat in the Chewuch River.

The area also provides important security to three terrestrial species listed under the Endangered Species Act: gray wolf, grizzly bear, and Canada lynx.  Numerous other wildlife species common to the Okanogan National Forest also inhabit the area.

10,500 acres of the roadless area was burned during the Thunder Mountain Fire in 1994.  A small portion of the fire area was subsequently logged, primarily by helicopter.