Sterling Munro Boardwalk

View of the rugged Picket Mountains and Terror Glacier from the Sterling Munro Boardwalk.

NPS / Anthony Killion

Quick Facts

Location:

Off of State Route 20 at mile post 120, near the North Cascades Visitor Center

Significance:

Accessible scenic viewpoint.

Amenities

3 listed

Benches/Seating, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Wheelchair Accessible

The Sterling Munro Boardwalk is the shortest and most accessible trail in North Cascades National Park Service Complex. Located behind the North Cascades Visitor Center near Newhalem, this 330 foot (100 m) boardwalk extends through thick forest before ending at an expansive view of the distant Picket Mountains. Steep mountainsides frame the view of jagged peaks, with a fire scar from the 2015 Goodell Fire visible on the slopes of Mount Ross. Bring a pair of binoculars; you may see mountain goats navigating the sheer slopes in the distance. Take a seat on the benches and listen for the gentle songs of Pacific wrens, varied thrushes, and white-crowned sparrows. Interested in viewing one of the over 300 glaciers in the Park Complex? The Sterling Munro Boardwalk offers a glimpse of Terror Glacier, the only glacier seen along the State Route 20 corridor without having to undertake a strenuous hike or climb. 

The boardwalk is named for Sanford Sterling Munro Junior, an aide to Washington senator Henry Jackson.