North Cascades National Park guides
11 in-depth guides to North Cascades National Park, in reading order: what to see, how to get around, and what to know before you go. Back to the North Cascades National Park overview.
Fee-Free Park, Short Season: Timing Your Trip
There is no entrance fee to enter North Cascades National Park. The park is open all year, but its peak operational season runs from late May through late September, with limited services outside it.
The American Alps: 300+ Glaciers
North Cascades National Park is home to roughly 312 glaciers, more than any other national park in the United States outside Alaska.
Driving the North Cascades Highway (SR 20)
The North Cascades Highway, also called State Route 20, is the only paved road in North Cascades National Park.
From Thunder Knob to Cascade Pass Trails
The Thunder Knob Trail is a short day hike that begins at Colonial Creek Campground, at milepost 130 on State Route 20.
Paddling Diablo Lake's Turquoise Glacial Waters
Diablo Lake gets its unusual color from the glaciers that feed it. As the ice grinds against bedrock, it breaks the stone into a fine powder called rock flour.
Accreted Terranes: North Cascades' Patchwork Geology
Geologists see the North Cascades as a collage of terranes, each one a separate block of rock with faults marking the seams between them.
Eight Life Zones, Over 1,600 Plant Species
Differences in elevation, soil, rainfall and exposure to the weather combine to create eight distinct life zones here.
Skagit, Nooksack and Upper Stehekin Peoples
Human history in North Cascades National Park begins 8,000 to 10,000 years ago, after the last glacial period ended.
Cascade Pass and the Sahale Arm Climb
The Cascade Pass and Sahale Arm Trail starts at the trailhead at the end of Cascade River Road.
Stehekin: Reaching the Ferry-Only Village
A few hundred people live in Stehekin, a village tucked at the top end of Lake Chelan. No roads reach it, so visitors arrive only by boat, on foot, or by plane.
Rainy Pass: Maple Pass Loop and Lake Ann
The Maple Pass Loop is a day hike of about 7.2 miles that begins at the Rainy Pass Picnic Site on State Route 20.
