Regulations of this Wilderness Area

The Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness is part of the 110 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. Which provides clean air, water, and habitat critical for rare and endangered plants and animals. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities like hiking, backpacking, climbing, kayaking, canoeing, rafting, horse packing, bird watching, stargazing, and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. Humans play a very important role in helping to "secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness" as called for by the Congress of the United States through the Wilderness Act of 1964. Ther are certain requirments and regulations people need to follow when visiting any Wilderness area.

Prohibitions:

The following are prohibitions for Chelan-Sawooth wilderness area. These general prohibitions have been implemented for all national forest wildernesses in order to implement the provisions of the Wilderness Act of 1964. The Wilderness Act requires management of human-caused impacts and protection of the area's wilderness character to insure that it is "unimpaired for the future use and enjoyment as wilderness."

• Motorized equipment and equipment used for mechanical transport is generally prohibited on all federal lands designated as wilderness. This includes the use of motor vehicles, motorboats, motorized equipment, bicycles, hang gliders, wagons, carts, portage wheels, and the landing of aircraft including helicopters, unless provided for in specific legislation.

Permits:

• A wilderness permit system has been put into placement for this wilderness. This involves a mandatory permit for access to the wilderness, which does not limit use. Wilderness permit systems are implemented to collect information on use levels and patterns and as an education and information tool.

People interested in visiting theLake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness should contact the national forest office for more information about this permit system, which may vary by location or time of the year.

Fees:

• The following user fee system has been implemented for the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth wilderness: TRAILHEAD PARKING. Fees are most often used to offset the operating costs of a permit system or to help fund management activities such as trail maintenance.

* Federal Regulation's

• 12 & 18 * Party Size*
  Groups traveling in the wilderness must have no more then 12 people and no more than 18 head of pack and saddle stock. 36 CFR 261.58(f)

• Caching and Geocaching*
  Sorry, not allowed. Camps or any other supplies, or GEOCACHES can’t be left unattended more than 48 hours. 36 CFR 261.57(f)

• Wheels*
  Travel in wilderness areas is by foot, horseback, or self-propelled boat. Bicycles, wagons, carts or any other wheeled vehicles, pedaled, pushed or pulled, are not allowed. 36 CFR 261.57 (h)

• Dogs*
  are allowed in the wilderness but must remain under control at all times and are not permitted to menace or annoy other visitors, stock, or wildlife.

• Motorized Equipment*
  No motorized equipment including chainsaws and motorbikes. 36 CFR 261.16(a)

• Shortcutting Switchbacks*
  on trails is prohibited. 36 CFR 261.55 (e)

• Cutting of trees or branches*
  for any purpose is not permitted. Use only dead, down wood for fires.

• Grazing or Tying Stock*
  within 200 feet of the shoreline of any lake is not permitted. Don’t ride right to lakeshores – tie up & walk the last 200’. If animals paw constantly while tied, hobble them. Stock may not be tied directly to trees overnight in the Pasayten and Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness. If a high line is used, the point of hitch or tie must be at least 8 feet from any tree. 36 CFR 261.57 (a,e) 36 CFR 261.58 (aa)

• Only processed grains*
  May be transported into the wilderness. Hay or unprocessed grain may serve as a seed source for noxious weeds or other non-native plants and is not allowed. 36 CFR 261.58 (t)

• Littering*
  Whether it be candy bar wrappers or toilet paper, littering is strictly not allowed. Pack out all litter. 36 CFR 261.11(b)

• Permits*
  Self issuing permits are required for the Pasayten. They are available at trailheads, headquarters, and the visitor center. 36 CFR 261.57