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Accessibility
The North Cascades Visitor Center, Sedro-Woolley information station, and Wilderness Information Office are fully accessible. The approach to the Golden West Visitor Center is an unpaved, sloping path which can be negotiated with assistance. There is a ramp into the center itself. At Stehekin, a shuttle van equipped with a wheelchair lift is available for transportation up valley to High Bridge. The Sterling Munro Trail at the North Cascades Visitor Center and the Happy Creek Forest Walk at milepost 135 on the North Cascades Highway are fully accessible boardwalk paths. The former leads 300 feet (99 meters) to a spectacular view across the forest canopy to the rugged Picket Range. The latter is a 1/3 mile (1/2 kilometer) loop through ancient forest. The River Loop Trail and the Newhalem Creek Rockshelter Trail, both in the vicinity of the North Cascades Visitor Center, are accessible trails with good surface and less than 8% grade throughout. The Rockshelter Trail ends in a boardwalk providing a view and interpretation of an archeological site.
Call the National Park office for additional accessibility information, particularly concerning getting to and around Stehekin.
Basic Visit Recommendations
Take a drive on Stateroad 20, the North Cascades Scenic Highway, through Ross Lake National Recreation Area with stops at the North Cascades Visitor Center, Diablo Lake Overlook, and other scenic pullouts. A short walk on the Happy Creek Forest Walk (milepost 135 along Stateroad 20) will give you a sense of the old growth forest in the North Cascades. There are several short hikes to take in the vicinity of the North Cascades Visitor Center. Then travel to Stehekin via trail or boat or float plane from Chelan and stay several days. Stop at the Golden West Visitor Center for advice on walks and hikes in the Stehekin area and for backcountry permits.
Biking
Mountain and trail bikes, as well as other motorized and mechanized equipment, are prohibited on all trails in the Park Complex. They are permitted on paved and unpaved roads not closed to entry.
Camping
Many public campgrounds in the North Cascades are accessible by road. Most sites are filled on a first-come first-served basis. Free campgrounds are primitive, requiring that you bring your own water and pack out garbage.
See the Camping Page for more information.
Fees
There are no admission fees.
Northwest Forest Pass
$5.00 - Day $30.00 - Annual
Pass required for parking anywhere along the North Cascades National Park portion of the Cascade River road or at the following trailheads in Ross Lake National Recreation Area: Thornton Lakes, Pyramid Lake, Ross Dam, East Bank, Panther Creek. The pass is also required for parking at trailheads in the adjacent national forests. It can be bought at park or forest stations or by calling 1-800-270-7504.
Lake Chelan Dock Fee Pass
$5.00 - Day $40.00 - Annual
Between May 1 and October 31 each year, boaters must have a Dock Fee Permit in order to use the docks in Lake Chelan National Recreation Area. This is the same permit needed for using the docks provided by the U.S. Forest Service along other parts of the Lake Chelan shoreline. Can be obtained at Chelan Ranger Station and several stores in Chelan and Stehekin, Washington.
There are bus services in the Stehekin Valley (Lake Chelan National Recreation Area) provided by the NPS and the Stehekin Adventures Company. Service along Stehekin Valley Road from Stehekin Landing to High Bridge (11 miles/18 km), ($4.00 - $5.00 one-way) will be available 23 May through 12 October.
Road conditions permitting, NPS shuttle service will extend from High Bridge 4.5 miles (7.2 km) further up valley to Bridge Creek (Pacific Crest Trail) on 19 June and an additional 4.5 miles to Flat Creek on 17 July. The fare is an additional $5.00 per person each way for adults and $3.00 for children under age 16.
From Flat Creek it is an 11.8 mile (18.9 km) hike over Cascade Pass to the Cascade River Road. Changes in the channel of the Stehekin River prevent use of the road by vehicles beyond Flat Creek. The buses provide access to many trailheads along the Stehekin Valley Road. Reservations are not needed for the Stehekin Adventures bus but are highly recommended (and required 26 May - 18 June) for the NPS shuttle buses due to their smaller capacity.
To make a reservation, call: 360-856-5700 ext 340, then 14 after 15 May.
Wilderness Permit - Free!
A free Wilderness Permit is required for all overnight stays in the backcountry of the North Cascades National Park Service Complex. The principal places to obtain these are the Wilderness Information Station in Marblemount, Washington, and the Golden West Visitor Center in Stehekin, Washington.
Reservations can also be made in person when obtaining the free backcountry permit needed for overnight backpacking trips into the national park or recreation area.
Food & Supplies
Food & Supplies are available in Concrete, Marblemount, Newhalem (limited), Chelan and Stehekin (limited) areas.
Hiking
The park maintains 386 miles (618 kilometers) of trails throughout the North Cascades Complex. The trails vary in degree of difficulty and access.
A free permit is required for overnight stays in the backcountry. These must be obtained in person at the Wilderness Information Center in Marblemount (for any area of the backcountry) or the Golden West Visitor Center (for hikes starting in the Stehekin Valley) or the Glacier Public Service Center (for hikes starting from the Mt. Baker Highway). Certain hikes may also be permitted at other NPS or U.S. Forest Service stations near the park complex.
The most up-do-date and complete information on trail and climbing conditions is available at the Wilderness Information Center in Marblemount (near milepost 105 on State Route 20) or the Golden West Visitor Center in Stehekin. These are the best places to obtain backcountry information and permits.
See the Hiking Page for more information.
Lodging
There is no lodging in North Cascades National Park itself. Ross Lake National Recreation Area has the concession-operated Ross Lake Resort , consisting of cabins on floats moored near the lower end of Ross Lake. The concession-operated North Cascades Stehekin Lodge is at Stehekin Landing. Contact the park for a list of overnight facilities operated on private property in the Stehekin Valley.
All three areas of the Park Complex have backcountry camps and roadside campgrounds, though those along the Stehekin Valley Road cannot be reached via road from outside the recreation area. The NPS shuttle bus can drop off campers at the campgrounds along the Stehekin Valley Road from mid-May through mid-October.
See the Lodging and Camping pages.
Permits
A free backcountry permit is required for all overnight stays year round in the backcountry of the park complex (which includes North Cascades National Park, Ross Lake and Lake Chelan National Recreation Areas). A backcountry permit is a document that must be carried by an individual or group leader on the actual backcountry trip and serves as proof that he or she has checked in at a ranger station and is cleared for camping at a specific site(s). Should you encounter a ranger in the field, you will likely be asked to show your backcountry permit to verify your permitted status. Failure to possess and display a valid permit may result in a fine and/or immediate removal from the backcountry. Permits are not required for day use or for camping in automobile-access campgrounds along State Route 20 or at Hozomeen.
Backcountry permits are issued in person only, the first day of the trip or up to one day before. Permits are issued on a first-come, first-served basis. Except in certain circumstances described below, the backcountry permit must be obtained from the Wilderness Information Center in Marblemount. This center has the most current and comprehensive information on backcountry conditions and can best assist with trip planning. The center operates extended hours during the summer, and self-issue backcountry permits are available for many destinations when the center is closed. In circumstances when you will not be passing through Marblemount before the start of your trip, you may obtain your backcountry permit at the ranger station closest to your starting trailhead.
See the Camping Page for more information.
Pet Information
Dogs, cats, and other pets, are not permitted on the trails or in the cross-country areas, within the National Park (except the Pacific Crest trail, where leashed dogs are permitted).
Programs and Activities
Most scheduled programs take place July through September and during winter holidays. Regularly scheduled programs during the summer range from talks and demonstrations at the visitor centers to guided hikes, children's programs, and evening presentations in the campgrounds. Topics span a wide range of natural and cultural history. The park complex has many wayside exhibits, museum exhibits at both visitor centers, and 5 self-guiding interpretive trails. The Newhalem Creek Rockshelter Trail (universally accessible), has interpretation about archeology and the long span of human activity in the North Cascades. It is located off Stateroad 20 near the town of Newhalem in Ross Lake NRA.
See the Calendar Page for more information.
Visitor Center
The North Cascades Visitor Center is located in Newhalem (milepost 120 on State Route 20) in the Ross Lake National Recreation Area. The visitor center is open daily from mid-April to mid-November from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm with extended hours from July through Labor Day. It is also open Saturday and Sunday through most of the rest of the year. Call the park at: 360-856-5700 for current schedule.
The Golden West Visitor Center is located at Stehekin Landing in the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area. The center is open mid-March through mid-October, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm during the summer and shorter hours during the remainder of that period.
See the Calendar Page for more information.
Weather
Generally, the best weather for visiting the North Cascades occurs between mid-June and late-September. Snow is usually off all but the highest trails by July. Summer storms are common in this period: always be prepared for a few days of rain and wind. If you are going into high and remote areas, take good, light rain gear and a tent. Warm, waterproof clothing and a tent are virtually mandatory for spring, fall and winter trips into the backcountry. Heavy snow and rain, depending on elevation, characterize the North Cascades from fall into spring.
See the Weather Page for current conditions, forecasts and other weather data.
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This site is in no way associated with the United States Government, the Department of the Interior or the National Park Service
