• View from Sourdough Mountain Overlook A view looking down onto Diablo Lake. Photo Credit: NPS/Michael Silverman, 2010.

    North Cascades

    National Park Washington

Boat-In Camping

Canoes loaded for camping prepare to launch at the Colonial Creek boat launch. Image Credit: NPS/NOCA/David Snyder
Canoes at Colonial Creek loaded for camping on Diablo Lake.
NPS/NOCA/David Snyder
 

Seclusion, scenery, and still water. Twenty-five boat-in camps dot the backcountry shorelines of North Cascades National Park Complex. On Lake Chelan, explore the shoreline of water pathway used by human travelers for thousands of years. Visit hidden coves, islands, and bays created by the dams of the Skagit Hydroelectric Project on Diablo and Ross Lakes.

Use the following lists and the Wilderness Trip Planner before your visit.

 
Ross Lake Boat-In Camps
Refer to Boating on Ross Lake for special regulations and tips for the backcountry.
 
Camp Miles (KM) From Ross Dam Miles (KM)
From Hozomeen		 Number
of Sites

Group
Sites

Trail
Access

 Boat
Dock
Green Point

0.8 (1.3)

21.2 (33.9)

5

X

X

X
Cougar Island

2.4 (3.9)

19.6 (31.4)

2

 

 

X

Roland Point

3.5 (5.6)

18.5 (29.6)

1

 

 

 

McMillan

4 (6.4)

18 (28.8)

3

X

 

X

Spencer's

4.3 (6.9)

17.7 (28.3)

2

 

 

X

Big Beaver

4.6 (7.4)

17.4 (27.8)

7

X

X

X

May Creek

5 (8)

17 (27.2)

1

 

X

X

Rainbow Point

6 (9.6)

16 (25.6)

3

 

X

X

Devil's Junction

9 (14.4)

13 (20.8)

1

 

X

X

Ten Mile Island

10 (16)

12 (19.2)

3

 

 

 

Dry Creek

10.4 (16.7)

11.6 (18.6)

4

 

 

 

Ponderosa

11 (17.6)

11 (17.6)

2

X

 

 

Lodgepole

11.4 (18.4)

10.6 (17)

3

X

X

 

Lightning Creek Stock Camp

11.8 (18.9)

10.2 (16.3)

2

X

X

 

Lightning Creek Boat Camp

12 (19.3)

10 (16)

6

X

X

X

Cat Island

13 (20.8)

9 (14.4)

4

X

 

X

Little Beaver

15 (24)

7 (11.2)

5

X

X

X

Boundry Bay

16.5 (26.5)

5.5 (8.8)

3

X

 

X

Silver Creek

20 (32)

2 (3.2)

3

X

 

X

Hozomeen

22 (35)

-------

 Drive in campground
 
Lake Chelan Boat-In Camps
These sites are accessed from the Stehekin region.
 
Camp Number of Sites Elevation Comments
Weaver Point

22

1100

 Treated water. Direct access to Stehekin Landing by boat.
Manly Wham

1

1100

 Lakeshore camp near Bridal Veil Falls.
Flick Creek

1

1100

 Camp located near Lakeshore Trail.
 
Diablo Lake Boat Access Camps
 
Camp Miles (KM) From
Colonial Creek
Campground		 Number
of Sites		 Boat
Dock
Buster Brown

2.8 (4.7)

3

X
Hidden Cove

2.6 (4.3)

1

X
Thunder Point

2.0 (3.3)

3

X

Did You Know?

Cascading stream

The North Cascades are well known for the abundant waterfalls that lace the mountains. Two of the best known waterfalls are Gorge Falls between Newhalem and Diablo along State Route 20 and Rainbow Falls in the Stehekin Valley.