This scenic, but small, bit of country is opnly about 20,000 acres. The Forest Service has since recommended about 150,000 acres as designated wilderness. The Mallard-Larkins is very close to both the Great Burn, Pot Mountain, Weitas Creek, and the Moose Mountain roadless areas. Altogether, there are over 800,000 acres of roadless area separated only by a few roads and clearcuts. The area is mostly steep mountains, jagged ridges, and there are 38 sub-alpine lakes.
Wildlife includes elk, deer, moose, black bear, cougar, mountain goats, and an occasional wolf.
Management of the area is complicated by the presence of many alternating sections of private land, arranged like a checkerboard, derived from the notorious Northern Pacific Railroad Land Grant of 1864. Spokane, WA, Inland Empire Public Lands Council. The threat to the Mallard-Larkins has always been timbering. The photo below shows what the future of the area could be.