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North Cascades - Washington

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Descriptive:
The stark, rugged wilderness of North Cascades, with its black, jagged rock and snow-capped peaks, lies on the very border of British Columbia. More than half of the glaciers in the entire United States can be found within this Park. Great mounds of ice crash regularly to the valley floor, disturbing the alpine stillness, and the dull roar reverberates against mountain walls. This daunting terrain is the perfect challenge for the avid mountaineer with over 360 miles of trails to explore. Countless rivers run off the mountain range from the glaciers; through snowfields and meadows in sculpted glacial valleys. Countless waterfalls dot the Park, and are formed as these clear waters race through this rocky land toward lower elevations.

Boating is a good way to see the Park, because the mountains jut up so dramatically from the lake's still waters. Tour boats go out and most of the lakes, and smaller fishing boats can be rented at North Cascades Lodge or Ross Lakes Resort, both in Stehekin. A tugboat ride can be taken between the Diablo and Ross dams.

Vegetation:
Alder
Douglas fir
Western red cedar
Hemlock
Maple

Wildlife:
Bears
Wolf
Mountain lions

Bald eagles
Falcons

Key locations:
Lake Chelan is inaccessible by car; to reach it, you have to fly, boat or hike in. Lake Chelan is one of the nation's deepest lakes, at 1,500 feet deep. Just before the Stehekin enters Lake Chelan, a few miles from the mouth, is the beautiful Rainbow Falls.

Cascade Pass Trail parallels the Stehekin River and passes over fifteen waterfalls on its route. Bring a flashlight to explore Black Warrior Mine, which lies at its end.

Thunder Creek Trail runs north/south between Lake Chelan and Diablo Lake. Almost twenty miles long, this hike winds beneath towering peaks past four named glaciers. This trail is particularly attractive to hikers because, apart from sweeping views, it runs between two of the most accessible places in the Park, the Colonial Creek Information Center and the Golden West Visitor Center.

Due to a fine sediment of minerals ground by glacial activity, the waters in this Park, particularly the Skagit River, are as green as jade. Stop at Newhalem Campgrounds and nearby Goodell Creek Viewpoint along the only paved road in the Park for a good view of the Skagit. Also, be sure to stop at nearby Gorge Creek Falls.

Activities:
Backcountry camping
Fishing
Hunting
Boating

Trails:
Agnes Gorge Trail
Cascade Pass Trail
Horseshoe Basin Trail
Imus Creek Nature Trail
McKellar Cabin Historical Trail
Thunder Creek Trail
Thunder Woods Nature Trail
Trail of the Cedars

Campsites:
Bridge Creek
Bullion
Colonial Creek
Cottonwood
Goodell Creek
Harlequin
Hozomeen
Newhalem
Purple Point
Stehekin

Nearby Sites:
Glacier Peak Wilderness
Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
Okanogan National Forest
Pasayten Wilderness
Wenatchee National Forest