NCNP features over 300 glaciers and even more snowfields, making it the most heavily glaciated area in the lower 48. Glaciers drape over their slopes, cracking around the terrain to expose deep icy-blue crevasses. These steep and rocky mountains tower above the surrounding area. But the North Cascades developed geologically separately from the volcanoes, so they look different from what most people think of when considering the PNW. If you know anything about the Pacific Northwest and the Cascades, you may imagine big snowy volcanoes, which there are plenty of in the area. Stehekin is a town cut off from the world, accessible only by boat, plane, or foot. The park touches Canada on the north and reaches south to Lake Chelan, where you can access one of the gems of the North Cascades, Stehekin. The park surrounds Highway 20, which travels between Sedro Wooley on the west side of the mountains and Mazama and the Methow Valley on the east side. North Cascades National Park (NCNP) sits in northern Washington State, amidst the Northern Cascade mountains. You’ll discover the hidden beauty of one of the most beautiful alpine regions of the country.Īll Inclusive Backpacking Trips Where is North Cascades National Park? Read on for our guide to North Cascades National Park. Many national park visitors skip this park in favor of other more popular destinations.īut despite not receiving nearly the visitation of nearby Olympic or Rainier National Parks (in 2020, North Cascades received ~30,000 visitors compared to Olympic’s 2.5 million and Rainier’s 1 million), North Cascades National Park is well worth the visit. The unassuming National Park sign sits on the side of a highway, but there’s no entrance gate, no entrance fee, nothing except the views, and a map to tell you that you have entered a spectacular national park. Alpine animals such as pikas, marmots, and mountain goats peer down at you from rocky outcroppings. Glaciers cap the mountains and snow blankets trails well into the summer. Picture an alpine wonderland full of blue lakes, meadows, and towering peaks.
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