Washington State’s North Cascades National Park contains the most rugged stretch of the Cascade Mountains, which run 700 miles from California to southern British Columbia. Often called the American Alps, the North Cascades are punctuated by wild glaciers, deep forests and lofty spires.
The park complex is a 3-hour drive north and east of Seattle, Washington, (served by 25 major airline carriers) via Interstate 5. State Route 20 and the North Cascades Scenic Highway take travelers east through panoramic mountains to this national park. A detailed state highway map is helpful for car travel to this area composed of North Cascades National Park, Ross Lake National Recreation Area and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area.
Marblemount is a small town to the west of North Cascades National Park along Highway 20. The towns of Mazama and Winthrop offer lodging and dining options on the east side of the park. The broad Skagit River as well as many large creeks cut through the valleys of this park, many ending in the fjord-like Lake Chelan in the south or the long ribbon of Ross Lake to the north.
The North Cascades National Park complex is renowned for its hiking, backpacking and mountain climbing. Trails include family-style walks on the Trail of the Cedars near Newhalem, Happy Creek Trail near Diablo Lake and the Washington Pass Overlook loop. Experienced hikers relish the Nooksack Cirque Trail on the park’s western boundary off the Mount Baker Highway for its mountain heights. Backpackers travel across the park’s Pacific Crest Trail.
Many trails start from parking lots just off State Route 20. Alpine vistas and soaring mountain spires greet hikers who travel these accessible trails. Guide books, such as 100 Classic Hikes in Washington and Hiking the North Cascades are invaluable travel companions. Note that the North Cascades’ hiking season is short and can be peppered with sudden storms.
The upper Skagit River cuts across the park, and the Ross, Diablo and Gorge dams along this river have created lakes that are ideal for fishing and boating. Ross Lake is known for canoeing and kayaking. Long and narrow Lake Chelan, often compared to Switzerland’s Lake Lucerne, has boat tours from the town of Chelan to the outpost of Stehekin. Fish for Kokanee salmon at deep Lake Chelan’s northern end.
River rafting is exciting on the Skagit or Stehekin rivers. Guides and outfitters are available in Chelan, Marblemount and Burlington for a variety of tours.
Accommodations inside North Cascades National Park include camping, back-country camping and hotels. Outside the park, lodging ranges from mountain-top resorts to cozy cabins.
Car camping in the park is available at Newhalem Creek, Colonial Creek and Goodell Creek, as well as at Gorge Creek and Hozomeen Campgrounds. Wilderness camping, accessible by foot or boat, requires a permit. Hotels and lodges inside the park are located at Ross Lake and Lake Chelan. Ross Lake Resort offers cabins and bunkhouses right on the lake. Lake Chelan’s accommodations range from hotels and motels, such as Campbell’s Resort, to B&Bs and condos.
Lodging outside the park is available on the west and east sides of the park. Clark’s Skagit River Resort in Rockport and the Buffalo Run Inn at the west entrance to the park offer lodging from homey cabins to a luxurious B&B. On the east side of the park, Mazama and Winthrop feature inns, such as the Freestone and Mazama Country, lodges and hotels, like the grand Sun Mountain Lodge and Western-themed Hotel Rio Vista.
Dining opportunities abound inside the park at Chelan’s many restaurants, offering options from coffee and smoothies to full-service fine dining. Outside the park, the Buffalo Run Restaurant features exotic meats and traditional fare at the park’s west entrance. To the east side of the park, the Western-themed town of Winthrop boasts many restaurants, including the Duck Brand Cantina and Winthrop Brewing Company.
North Cascades National Park offers pristine backcountry, glaciers and lakes not far from Seattle for those who like to travel off the beaten path. Though it’s one of the snowiest places on earth and one of the most heavily glaciated areas in the U.S. outside of Alaska, these glaciers are shrinking. Hiking, backpacking, climbing, boating, rafting and fishing are popular activities in this park.
How to Get to North Cascades National Park
The park complex is a 3-hour drive north and east of Seattle, Washington, (served by 25 major airline carriers) via Interstate 5. State Route 20 and the North Cascades Scenic Highway take travelers east through panoramic mountains to this national park. A detailed state highway map is helpful for car travel to this area composed of North Cascades National Park, Ross Lake National Recreation Area and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area.
Marblemount is a small town to the west of North Cascades National Park along Highway 20. The towns of Mazama and Winthrop offer lodging and dining options on the east side of the park. The broad Skagit River as well as many large creeks cut through the valleys of this park, many ending in the fjord-like Lake Chelan in the south or the long ribbon of Ross Lake to the north.
Hiking, Boating and Fishing in the North Cascades
The North Cascades National Park complex is renowned for its hiking, backpacking and mountain climbing. Trails include family-style walks on the Trail of the Cedars near Newhalem, Happy Creek Trail near Diablo Lake and the Washington Pass Overlook loop. Experienced hikers relish the Nooksack Cirque Trail on the park’s western boundary off the Mount Baker Highway for its mountain heights. Backpackers travel across the park’s Pacific Crest Trail.
Many trails start from parking lots just off State Route 20. Alpine vistas and soaring mountain spires greet hikers who travel these accessible trails. Guide books, such as 100 Classic Hikes in Washington and Hiking the North Cascades are invaluable travel companions. Note that the North Cascades’ hiking season is short and can be peppered with sudden storms.
The upper Skagit River cuts across the park, and the Ross, Diablo and Gorge dams along this river have created lakes that are ideal for fishing and boating. Ross Lake is known for canoeing and kayaking. Long and narrow Lake Chelan, often compared to Switzerland’s Lake Lucerne, has boat tours from the town of Chelan to the outpost of Stehekin. Fish for Kokanee salmon at deep Lake Chelan’s northern end.
River rafting is exciting on the Skagit or Stehekin rivers. Guides and outfitters are available in Chelan, Marblemount and Burlington for a variety of tours.
Lodging and Dining in the North Cascades Area
Accommodations inside North Cascades National Park include camping, back-country camping and hotels. Outside the park, lodging ranges from mountain-top resorts to cozy cabins.
Car camping in the park is available at Newhalem Creek, Colonial Creek and Goodell Creek, as well as at Gorge Creek and Hozomeen Campgrounds. Wilderness camping, accessible by foot or boat, requires a permit. Hotels and lodges inside the park are located at Ross Lake and Lake Chelan. Ross Lake Resort offers cabins and bunkhouses right on the lake. Lake Chelan’s accommodations range from hotels and motels, such as Campbell’s Resort, to B&Bs and condos.
Lodging outside the park is available on the west and east sides of the park. Clark’s Skagit River Resort in Rockport and the Buffalo Run Inn at the west entrance to the park offer lodging from homey cabins to a luxurious B&B. On the east side of the park, Mazama and Winthrop feature inns, such as the Freestone and Mazama Country, lodges and hotels, like the grand Sun Mountain Lodge and Western-themed Hotel Rio Vista.
Dining opportunities abound inside the park at Chelan’s many restaurants, offering options from coffee and smoothies to full-service fine dining. Outside the park, the Buffalo Run Restaurant features exotic meats and traditional fare at the park’s west entrance. To the east side of the park, the Western-themed town of Winthrop boasts many restaurants, including the Duck Brand Cantina and Winthrop Brewing Company.
North Cascades National Park offers pristine backcountry, glaciers and lakes not far from Seattle for those who like to travel off the beaten path. Though it’s one of the snowiest places on earth and one of the most heavily glaciated areas in the U.S. outside of Alaska, these glaciers are shrinking. Hiking, backpacking, climbing, boating, rafting and fishing are popular activities in this park.
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