North Cascades National Park

Understand

The North Cascades National Park Complex is made up of three protected areas, all administered by the National Park Service:

The park proper consists of two sections, to the north and south of the Skagit River. The Upper Skagit River Valley and associated lakes make up the Ross Lake National Recreation Area. State Route 20, the North Cascades Highway, drives through this area. The Lake Chelan National Recreation Area, covering the northern tip of Lake Chelan, borders the south edge of the park. The boundaries are not obvious or important to most visitors, so this article covers all of these areas. Much of the park is designated as Wilderness, meaning the land is protected from most forms of human infrastructure, including roads and frontcountry campgrounds. As such, there are few areas with developed facilities.

History

Indigenous peoples Archeological evidence from over 8000 years ago shows that the area contained large indigenous populations. The rugged topography of the Cascades divided the peoples of the Columbia River Plateau to the east and those of the Puget Sound Lowlands to the west. Routes through the major mountain passes were vital to indigenous peoples, as important links in a trade network to share locally abundant resources. They traveled across mountain passes to trade, following ridge crests to avoid dense brush along avalanche shoots and stream bottoms. The difficulty of travel across these rugged mountains made intimate knowledge of them vital.

Fur traders

In the late 1700s, fur traders traveling on foot and by canoe were among the first Euro-Americans to venture into the North Cascades wilderness. Seeking to follow the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean, these explorers entered only the lower reaches of the North Cascades. The earliest recorded crossing of the North Cascades by a Euro-American occurred in 1814. Alexander Ross, a fur trader, crossed Twisp Pass, followed the Stehekin River and crossed Cascade Pass, then traced the Cas

Getting there

The park is quite close to Bellingham, a few hours north of Seattle and a few hours southeast of Vancouver, BC.

By car WA-20, the North Cascades Highway, is the only major road in the park. To the west, it joins Interstate 5 at Burlington. To the east, it passes through Winthrop to Eastern Washington. This road closes during the winter between Ross Lake and Mazama, making much of the park inaccessible. The next best way around is via the Stevens Pass Highway, a several-hour detour. There are a few other access roads from outside the park. These roads are generally used to reach remote trailheads, and are not near park visitor services.

WA-542, the Mt. Baker Highway, from Glacier. Most commonly used to access Mt. Shuksan. Cascade River Road from Marblemount. Most commonly used to access Sahale Arm, Cascade Pass, Boston Basin, and Eldorado. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) maintains a real-time travel map with traffic and road closure information; they also have a mobile app on iOS and Android. Check WSDOT's map or app before you head out.

By ferry There is daily passenger ferry service (no cars) across Lake Chelan to Stehekin, in the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area. There are no roads connecting Stehekin to outside the park, so this is the only way to access the town without a full-day hike. The ferry route itself is scenic, and is a popular way to experience the park.

1 Lady of the Lake, 1418 W Woodin Ave. (updated Oct 2024) 2 Stehekin Ferry, 17100 S Lakeshore Rd. (updated Oct 2024)

By public transit There is no public transit that reaches the park. Skagit Transit Routes 70X and 717 serve Concrete. Link Transit serves the Lady of the Lake dock in Chelan.

By foot The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is a well-known trail that extends along the West Coast of the United States, from Mexico to Canada. It enters the park near Stehekin (a popular resupply spot), crosses WA-20 at Rainy Pass, and continues to its terminus at the Cana

Getting around

Most locomotion through the park is human powered, whether it be hiking, skiing, kayaking, or climbing. The Wilderness designation of most of the park means that there is little vehicle access except for the WA-20 corridor. Non-hikers are limited to the view from the highway and a few side roads.

Stehekin Stehekin Shuttle Bus. 2-4 trips daily. Stehekin Valley Adventures provides a shuttle along the 11 mi (18 km) Stehekin Valley Rd. Shuttles make stops at the Ferry Landing, Stehekin Pastry Company, Harlequin Bridge, Stehekin Valley Ranch and High Bridge. Adult $10, child 2-11 $5, bike $10, bakery-only $5. (updated Jul 2025)

See

North Cascades Highway This highway, completed in 1972, is one of the great scenic drives of the Pacific Northwest, passing through jagged peaks, alpine meadows, and old-growth forest. In the west, the road looks out over the two crystalline reservoirs. Eastward from the crest, the surrounding mountains tower over the road.

1 Newhalem. This company town is populated entirely by employees of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project. The dams along the Skagit River, first constructed in the 1920s and 1930s, account for about 20% of the electricity used by Seattle. (updated Jul 2025) 2 Gorge Creek Overlook (Mile 123.4). Walk the short interpretive trail to see Gorge Lake and Gorge Dam. Also stop on the Gorge Creek Bridge to spot Gorge Creek Falls in the ravine behind the highway. (updated Oct 2024) 3 Diablo Dam. The dam built in Diablo Canyon, a solid granite gorge with vertical walls rising 160 ft (49 m) from the river bed. When it was completed in 1936, Diablo Dam was the tallest dam in the world at 389 ft (119 m). (updated Jul 2025) 4 Diablo Lake Overlook (Mile 131.7). This brilliantly blue reservoir is flanked by some of the steepest slopes in the park. The turquoise hue of the lake's water is attributed to surrounding glaciers grinding rocks into glacial flour that stays suspended in the lake. (updated Oct 2024) 5 Ross Lake Overlooks. This reservoir stretches past the Canadian border, flanked by some of the most jagged mountains in the entire range, especially Hozomeen Mountain. A pair of overlooks describe the geologic history and the writers who have been inspired by the North Cascades. (updated Oct 2025) 6 Rainy Pass. At 4,855 ft (1,480 m), a viewpoint and a popular trailhead for the Pacific Crest Trail. (updated Oct 2024) 7 Washington Pass Overlook. Washington Pass is the highest point on the highway at 5,477 ft (1,669 m). A short walk to a scenic vista showcases the highway winding below the Liberty Bell and the Early Winters Spires. (updated Oct 2025)

Ste

Do

Hiking North Cascades has over 400 miles of trails for all levels, connecting to even more terrain in the surrounding forests. Popular day hikes:

Cascade Pass to Sahale Arm. (updated Oct 2024) Thunder Creek. (updated Oct 2024) Popular backpacking trips:

Pacific Crest Trail. Especially the section from Rainy Pass to High Bridge and Stehekin (updated Oct 20