Spanning more than 500,000 acres, the North Cascades National Park is one of the largest of three National Park Service units in Washington State. It was established as a National Park in 1968 in order to preserve the mountain scenery, snowfield, glaciers, waterfalls and alpine meadows that make up the North Cascades. Since then it has been nicknamed the “American Alps.”
The park offers numerous campgrounds, backcountry camps, boat-in sites, and hiking trails. Popular hikes include Thunder Knob, Cascade Pass, Maple Pass Loop, and Hidden Lake. The Gorge Overlook and Diablo Lake Overlook are also popular destinations.
Wherever your adventure takes you, don't forget to recreate responsibly: know before you go, plan and prepare, build an inclusive outdoors, respect others, leave no trace, and make the park better.
North Cascades Highway 20 is closed for the winter season. The highway is closed at milepost 134 at Ross Dam Trailhead on the west side and at milepost 171 at the Silver Star Gate on the east side.
The highway typically closes in November and reopens in April or May.
The North Cascades Institute is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization that inspires and empowers people to enjoy and learn about the mountains, rivers, and forests of the Pacific Northwest. The Institute offers a variety of classes, programs, getaways, and camps at their award-winning campus in the heart of the North Cascades National Park!
Learn more about this amazing scenic round trip (and its wondrous connecting outings such as Chuckanut Drive up to Bellingham). Have fun exploring!
