Rate North Cascades National Park
Learn and Explore
Since 1916, the National Park Service has been entrusted with the care of our national parks. With the help of volunteers and partners, we safeguard these special places and share their stories with more than 275 million visitors every year. But our work doesn’t stop there.
We are proud that tribes, local governments, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individual citizens ask for our help in revitalizing their communities, preserving local history, celebrating local heritage, and creating close to home opportunities for kids and families to get outside, be active, and have fun.
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Our Mission
The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I obtain a park entrance pass?
Only 118 of your 417 park sites charge entrance fees. You can obtain park entrance passes by visiting a park site that charges an entrance fee. Entrance fee sites have passes available; we recommend calling a park prior to your visit. (See the park search to locate a specific park.) There are a number of entrance passes available, including park-specific passes as well as passes that offer entrance to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites in addition to the national parks (Annual, Military, Senior, 4th Grade, Access, and Volunteer passes). Learn more about the America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass.
About this location:
National Park
Operating Hours & Seasons
North Cascades National Park Complex Hours
North Cascades National Park Complex is always open. Avalanches typically cause closure of North Cascades Highway (State Route 20) in winter – between late November and mid-December; reopening is usually early May. The road is closed at the Ross Dam trailhead, milepost 134, east to the Early Winters Information Center, milepost 178. Trails east of the closure are inaccessible but the majority of the park can be reached if road conditions permit.
Standard Hours
- Sunday:Open 24 hours
- Monday:Open 24 hours
- Tuesday:Open 24 hours
- Wednesday:Open 24 hours
- Thursday:Open 24 hours
- Friday:Open 24 hours
- Saturday:Open 24 hours
Fees & Passes
Entrance Fees:
- $0.00 – North Cascades National Park Entrance Fees
North Cascades National Park Complex does not charge entrance fees.
Entrance Passes:
- $0.00 – North Cascades National Park Complex Entrance Passes
North Cascades National Park Complex does not sell entrance passes because no entry fee is required to enjoy the park.
About
"The North Cascades are Calling!"
Less than three hours from Seattle, an alpine landscape beckons. Discover communities of life adapted to moisture in the west and recurring fire in the east. Explore jagged peaks crowned by more than 300 glaciers. Listen to cascading waters in forested valleys. Witness a landscape sensitive to the Earth’s changing climate. Help steward the ecological heart of the Cascades.
Directions
Access to North Cascades National Park and Ross Lake National Recreation Area is from the State Route 20 corridor. SR 20 (North Cascades Highway) connects with Interstate 5 (Exit 230) at Burlington. From the east, the highway intersects with US 97 at Okanogan and with SR 153 at Twisp. The State Department of Transportation closes a portion of the road between Ross Dam Trailhead and Lone Fir Campground in winter. The Lake Chelan National Recreation Area (Stehekin) is accessible by ferry or plane from Chelan.
Visitor Centers
North Cascades Visitor Center
Location: Across the Skagit River from the North Cascades Highway (State Route 20) near milepost 120 and the town of Newhalem. Adjacent to Newhalem Creek Campground. Exhibits: Relief map of the park and surrounding area, exhibit room featuring multimedia exhibits on the park’s natural and cultural history. Available Facilities: Theater featuring large format slide program and video presentation. Several short, accessible interpretive trails and restrooms. Information desk. Bookstore. Golden West Visitor Center
Location: A short walk from the passenger ferry landing at Stehekin Landing at the north end of 50-mile long Lake Chelan. Reached via passenger ferry, trail, or float plane. Not accessible by road vehicle. Exhibits: Relief map and natural and cultural history of the area. Arts & Humanities of Stehekin operates the Golden West Gallery, featuring local artists and crafts people. Facilities: Information desk, bookstore. Audiovisual program. Daytime short talks. Additional summer programs offered. North Cascades National Park Service Complex Headquarters and Public Information Center
The North Cascades National Park Service Complex Headquarters and Public Information Center is five miles east of I-5 in Burlington and 46 miles west of the North Cascades National Park Service Complex boundary. It is operated jointly with the Mt. Baker District of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and North Cascades Institute. Exhibits: Relief map of the park and adjacent national forests. Available Facilities: Information desk. Sales area with books, maps, videos, and other items. Wilderness Information Center
The Wilderness Information Center is the main backcountry permit office for North Cascades National Park and the adjacent Ross Lake and Lake Chelan National Recreation Areas. Backcountry permits are required for overnights in the park year-round and are available at an outdoor self-issue station when the center is closed during the winter season. Information desk. Sales area with books, maps, videos, and other items related to the national park and adjacent national forests.
Weather
The best weather for visiting the North Cascades generally occurs between mid-June and late-September. Summer daytime temperatures average in the 70’s F. Snow is off most trails by mid-July. Autumn and Spring are popular for color and wildlife. Storms are common: always be prepared for a few days of rain and wind. The east side of the Cascade Mountains (Lake Chelan National Recreation Area) is drier and warmer in the summer than the west side. Summer temperatures at Stehekin reach the 90’s F.
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