The Basics
The park is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. However, access throughout the park may be limited due to seasonal road closures or weather conditions. Washington State Route 20, the North Cascades Highway, is typically closed from late November to early May. Visit the road conditions page for information on current road status.
There are three visitor and information centers. The North Cascades Visitor Center is located in Newhalem, WA. The Wilderness Information Center is located at 7280 Ranger Station Road, Marblemount, WA. The Forest Info Center with NPS Headquarters Administration Building is located at 810 State Route 20, Sedro-Woolley, WA. The Golden West Visitor Center is located in Stehekin, WA. Visit the visitor center page for more information on visitor and information center hours and amenities.
Main areas of the park complex to visit include the North Cascades Highway, Ross Lake, Stehekin and Hozomeen. Information about these areas and how to get there can be found on the Places to Go page.
Summer months, usually June-September, are the most popular times of year to visit. Road and trail access can vary throughout the year depending on weather conditions. Washington State Route 20, the North Cascades Highway, is typically closed from late November to early May due to snow, but exact dates change year to year. Summer weekends and holidays are the busiest times of the year, and the park can be very crowded.
Check out the weather forecast for the North Cascades.
No, there is no reservation system to enter the park. You are welcome to enter and exit the park at any time.
There are picnic areas, campgrounds, hiking trails, overlooks, and pullouts with interpretive information. There are no restaurants or gas stations along State Route 20 within the park. Make sure to have sufficient food, water, and gas/electric charge before entering the park. There are electric vehicle charging stations in the town of Newhalem. Vault toilets can be found throughout the park at some campgrounds and trailheads. Flush toilets are available at visitor centers and Newhalem Creek and Colonial Creek Campgrounds from late May - September.
Overnight lodging within the park can be found at Ross Lake Resort and the North Cascades Lodge at Stehekin. Other lodging accommodations can be found in the Stehekin and Chelan areas as well as along State Route 20 in the Skagit River Valley west of the park and the Methow River Valley to the east.
Water bottle fill stations are located at the North Cascades Visitor Center and the Forest Info Center with NPS Headquarters Administration Building. Water jugs can be filled at Goodell Creek, Newhalem Creek, and Colonial Creek campgrounds during the summer operational season when services are provided. RV fill stations are located at Newhalem Creek and Colonial Creek Campgrounds. Potable water and RV fill stations are only available when the visitor center and campgrounds are open for the season.
There is limited cell phone reception in the park and cell service should never be relied on. Free public WIFI can be accessed at the Skagit Information Center in Newhalem. Before entering the park, download the official National Park Service app to access the free offline maps.
Informational resources for students can be found on the website. Thank you for learning about North Cascades!
Due to a high volume of mail and limited staff, the park is unable to fulfill mail requests. Park brochures, Juonr Ranger booklets and badges, and other printed materials are only available to be picked up at park visitor and information centers in person. For current hours, visit the operating hours & seasons page. Park materials are also available online:
Yes, download the official National Park Service app. You can find information on visitor centers, campgrounds, trails, things to do, and more. You can also download an offline map to use when you don't have cell phone reception. For visitors seeking campsite reservations, download the Recreation.gov app to view availability and book reservations.
Fees and Passes
There is no fee to enter North Cascades National Park Service Complex. There are no trailhead or parking fees for trails that begin on National Park Service lands. However, the Northwest Forest Pass or Recreation Day Passes are required at many trailheads on adjacent U.S. Forest Service land. You may also use the America the Beautiful—the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes for U.S. Forest Service recreation sites.
Yes, it is available to purchase at the North Cascades National Park Visitor Center and at the Forest Info Center with NPS Headquarters Administration Building. It can also be purchased online at https://store.usgs.gov/recreational-passes. If purchasing online, shipping and handling charges apply and allow four to six weeks for shipping.
Yes, however most passes are only available at the Forest Info Center with NPS Headquarters Administration Building in Sedro-Woolley. Call 360-854-7245 to make sure staff are available to issue passes before visiting. For the 4th grader "Every Kid Outdoors" Pass, apply on the NPS every kid outdoors page before arriving. Print and bring the voucher with you. The “Every Kid Outdoors” pass is available at the North Cascades Visitor Center when open for the operation season and at the Forest Info Center with NPS Headquarters Administration Building.
CampingThe operational season for campgrounds is mid-May to early September each year. During the operational season reservations are required for all campgrounds. Outside of the operational season only Goodell Creek, Gorge Lake and 10 walk-in, tent-only sites (#64-#73) at Colonial Creek South Campground are open and all other campgrounds along State Route 20 are closed. Campgrounds in Stehekin are open as first-come, first-served outside of the operational season but are not accessible by car. For more information visit the camping in Stehekin page.
Camping reservations are required during the operational season (mid-May to early September) and are only available online at recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. Reservations can be made either 6 months or 7 days in advance for individual campsites and one year in advance for group campsites (subject to availability). Visit the camping page for more information.
Go to park campgrounds to find a first-come, first-served campsite, depending on the time of year there may not be any available. During the operational season (mid-May to early September) any sites that are not reserved will be available as first-come, first-served for one night only. Go through the campground and look for campsite placards that are on the green “open” side with the current date on them. If you find an open site without equipment, move into the site and set up camp. You must show occupancy. After the operational season all campsites are first-come, first-served in campgrounds that remain open. Visit the camping page for more information.
For first-come, first-served sites, campsite fees are paid for online through pay.gov. Use the QR code or pay.gov website link that can be found on campsite placards and informational boards within the campground to pay. Payment is not accepted onsite and must be paid within 24 hours of leaving the campsite or reaching cell service.
During the operational season (mid-May to early September) it is unlikely to get a first-come, first-served campsite on weekends since all sites can be reserved in advance and it will be highly competitive for any available sites. To avoid disappointment, reserve a site at recreation.gov.
Each individual campsites can accommodate up to 3 tents depending on the campsite. Not all campsites can accommodate the maximum number of people and tents. For campsite specific information visit the recreation.gov page for the specific campground, then select the campsite and scroll to the “Allowable Vehicle / Driveway Details” section. There you will find information such as the site and tent pad dimensions.
You are welcome to sleep in your vehicle at a lawfully occupied, designated campsite. It is illegal to sleep in your vehicle outside of campgrounds e.g., trailheads, dirt roads, parking lots, roadsides, etc.
Yes, there are areas where additional vehicles or vehicles that do not fit in the site can be parked at most campgrounds. RVs and trailers count as a vehicle. In Goodell Creek Campground there are parking spaces just east of the entrance from State Route 20. In Newhalem Creek Campground there are parking spaces across from the campground kiosk just west of the bridge over the Skagit River. Driveways without a campsite post in A and C loops can also be used to park additional vehicles. In Colonial Creek South there is a large parking lot at the entrance of the campground. In Colonial Creek South there are parking spaces across from site #7 just north of the campground entrance.
Then you will need to book an additional site. Exceeding the maximum number of allowed guests commonly leads to out-of-bounds camping, vegetation damage, and noise complaints.
To avoid cancellation, call the park at 360-854-7301 and leave a message if you are arriving one or more nights late. If you do not plan on using your reserved nights, cancel the reservation on recreation.gov or contact the park if you are unable to do so to give others the opportunity to use the campsite.
Leave a non-food item to show you are occupying your campsite. Recommended items include tents, chairs, and tablecloths. If you do not feel comfortable leaving an item, write a note and leave it on the campsite post notifying park staff that you are occupying your site. This ensures your campsite will be held for you.
No, the gates are never closed during the operational season (mid-May to late September). You are free to enter and exit the campgrounds 24 hours a day in open campgrounds. Campgrounds that close for the winter are gated and camping is not allowed in closed campgrounds.
Campfires are allowed in the provided campfire ring within designated campsites.
Each summer there will generally be a campfire ban during the summer months between June and October, specific dates will vary each year depending on conditions. If there is a fire ban, check the alerts and conditions page to read more about it. If there are no alerts on this webpage about a campfire ban, then you are allowed to have a campfire at your site. Campfires are not allowed in most backcountry sites or outside of designated campsites in the campgrounds. When you are done with the fire, dump excess amounts of water on it, stir it up, and check for any remaining heat. Do not leave a smoldering fire unattended.
Firewood may be available to purchase in the town of Newhalem or from private vendors outside the park along State Route 20. It is not sold in campgrounds or at visitor and information centers. You may not gather park vegetation, whether living or dead, to fuel your campfire. Do not burn combustible objects other than firewood.
No, protect these from the wildlife by storing them in a food storage box or a hard-sided vehicle. If you leave your food and trash out, rodents and other wildlife will likely get into it. This creates behaviors that are detrimental to the wildlife, to you, and to future visitors.
No, none of the park campgrounds have showers. However, campers can pay to shower in the local communities. Some private campgrounds outside of the park have shower options for their campers or may have showers available for purchase for non-campers. If you are looking for a place to shower, there may be options in private campgrounds, gyms, motels, and travel centers in the area.
RV-Related Questions
Yes, they are located at Newhalem Creek Campground (near the exit of the campground) and at Colonial Creek South Campground (along the west side of the parking lot past the entrance). RV dump stations are only open during the operational season (mid-May to mid to late September) each year.
No, none of the campsites within the park have RV hookups.
Sites that allow RVs can generally accommodate a total combined length of 20-50 feet. Newhalem Creek Campground has the most sites for larger RVs. Check the individual campsite information for the maximum vehicle length allowed. If you're searching for a campsite to accommodate a specific RV length on recreation.gov, click on the "filter" button and adjust the vehicle length to the length of your RV.
Then it will not fit, and you should choose a different campsite to book. If your RV extends out into the road, it is prone to being hit or causing an accident. Campsite information on recreation.gov has details about parking limitations for each site. If you book a site and discover your equipment does not fit, reservation changes depend on the availability of suitable sites. Modifications are subject to a fee and can be completed on the recreation.gov app or website.
Generator use is only permitted from 8 am to 8 pm.
Outdoor Activities
There are many fun activities within the park including hiking, camping, boating and more! Visit the things to do page for information on these and more activities.
Check out the day hiking page or the official National Park Service app for more information on hiking.
For backpacking within the park, a backcountry permit is required. Visit the planning your wilderness trip page for step-by-step instructions and information.
Sunset and sunrise views can be challenging since views can be obscured by trees and steep mountains. Higher elevation areas that require extensive hiking will provide the best views. The most easily accessible area along State Route 20 with the best views for sunset and sunrise is Diablo Lake Overlook.
Yes, the park is open 24/7.
Pets on leash are allowed on all trails within Ross Lake National Recreation Area and Lake Chelan Recreation Area. Pets are not allowed within North Cascades National Park except when leashed on the Pacific Crest Trail. Service animals are allowed for those with disabilities. Visit the pets webpage for more information.
The Sterling Munro Trail at the North Cascades Visitor Center in Newhalem and the Happy Creek Forest Walk at milepost 135 on State Route 20 are fully ADA accessible boardwalk paths. For more information visit the accessibility webpage. Bicycling is allowed on unpaved and paved roads in the park. Bicycles are not permitted on trails. If bicycling in the park, please be advised that there are no paved shoulders or bike lanes. State Route 20 is winding and can be congested with heavy traffic. Please ride with caution, wear a helmet and bright clothing, and travel on the right side of the road in a single file. More information can be found on the bicycling page . Ranger Programs
Ranger program scheduling varies by season and available staff. For current programming, check the web calendar, or inquire at a visitor or information center.
Nature
Wildflowers usually begin blooming in the low elevations in April, while plants at higher elevations remain buried under snow. In moderate to high elevations, wildflowers are most abundant in July and early August. There is not typically one best place to see them. They are spread throughout the park and can be viewed on a variety of trails. More information can be found on the wildflowers page.
There is no one best place. During your visit, keep on the lookout and listen for verbal clues. Crowded visitor areas typically scare animals away.
Mule deer, squirrels, black bears, fish and birds are generally seen in lower elevations. In subalpine and alpine areas American pika, hoary marmots and mountain goats are possible to see. Animals can sometimes be difficult to spot since many areas are forested and require hiking to access.
With that said, North Cascades has approximately 75 mammal species; around 21 species of reptiles and amphibians; roughly 200 species of birds; at least 28 species of fish; and over 500 types of land insects and approximately 250 aquatic invertebrate species. Check out specific wildlife pages for more information. History and Culture
The lands currently managed by North Cascades National Park Service Complex are the traditional lands of the Coast and Interior Salish Peoples. The Colville, Lummi, Nlaka’pamux, Nooksack, Samish, Sauk-Suiattle, Stillaguamish, Stó:lo, Swinomish, Tulalip, Upper Skagit, Yakama, and other Tribes maintain a deep relationship with the land, vital for the continuity of their individual Tribal cultures.
The park is named after the Cascade Range of mountains that span from Northern California to British Columbia and is the northernmost area of the range within the United States. According to legend the Cascade Range was named after a section of rapids along the Columbia River called “the Cascades of the Columbia”. The rapids were about 140 miles upriver from the Pacific Ocean, in the area where the Columbia River cuts through the middle of the mountain range that came to be known as the Cascades. The North Cascades Range is generally higher and wider than the central and southern Cascades. The northern range is characterized by a sea of sharp, jagged peaks and large river valleys carved by glaciers. |
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Last updated: September 22, 2026