North Cascades National Park

North Cascades National Park in Washington State protects a remote, rugged portion of the Cascade Range characterized by steep peaks, deep glacial valleys and extensive mountain ecosystems. The park was established in 1968.

Visitors encounter alpine scenery, glacier-carved terrain, and a network of hiking trails and backcountry routes; scenic byways along the park edges provide roadside viewpoints for many visitors. Popular lowland trailheads offer access to higher passes and glacier viewpoints, while the most remote areas require multi-day travel.

Designated as a national park in 1968, the area has long been valued for its wilderness character, timber and hydropower resources and unique alpine ecology. Park creation and later wilderness designations focused on protecting the landscape and its glacial systems.

Occupying a large swath of northern Washington State along the Canadian border, the park sits amid the North Cascades mountain chain between towns such as Marblemount and Newhalem and is accessed from several corridor roads leading into the mountainous interior.

• Seasonal access: Weather and trail conditions change rapidly at elevation; many popular routes are best attempted from late June through September and require wilderness preparedness.
• Terrain and services: The park is one of the most rugged and heavily glaciated areas in the contiguous United States, with extensive backcountry opportunities and limited services inside park boundaries.

What to See #

• Cascade Pass area: A high-elevation hiking route and mountain pass area popular for alpine access, providing trailheads into glaciated valleys and nearby peaks.
• Ross Lake and Diablo Lake corridors: A series of lakes and reservoirs in the western portion of the park and adjacent recreation areas that serve as gateways and access points for paddling and trailheads.
• Backcountry and glaciers: Remote alpine valleys and glacier-fed basins containing backcountry campsites and technical climbing routes, used by experienced hikers and mountaineers.