Established in 1968, the rugged wilderness sanctuary within the North Cascades National Park Service Complex boasts over 300 glaciers, making it the most heavily glaciated area in the United States outside of Alaska. Find everything you need to know:
Webcams & Weather | About the Park | Fees & Passes | What to Do | Support the Park | North Cascades Blogs
Check out weather conditions and take in the view from North Cascades National Park’s live webcam:
Newhalem Visitor Center
For snow depth and other current conditions, check the park’s weather page.
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The North Cascades offers one of Washington’s wildest alpine landscapes. Explore jagged peaks crowned by more than 300 glaciers and listen to cascading waters in forested valleys. Whatever strikes your fancy — camping, hiking, fishing, biking, sightseeing, animal viewing, and more — you’ll find it here.
Unlike Mount Rainier and Olympic National Parks, there is no fee to enter North Cascades National Park. If you plan to camp, front-country or backcountry, see what fees are required.
Primary access to North Cascades National Park is from the State Route 20 (SR 20) corridor. The Silver-Skagit Road and State Route 542 are jumping-off points for many northern regions of the park including Hozomeen, Mount Shuksan, and Copper Ridge.
Due to avalanche danger, the Washington State Department of Transportation typically closes the SR 20 between Ross Dam Trailhead and Lone Fir Campground from November to April. Be sure to check the road status before you head out.
Find helpful information about the parks, historical sites, national landmarks, and other federally owned areas at the National Park Service WA Index.
North Cascades National Park has an excellent guide to get you started planning your trip at nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/things2do.htm. Looking to hit the trails? Check out the park’s Hiking guide to get started. Our friends at the Washington Trails Association also have tons of great resources, interactive maps, guides, and more to help you find the perfect trail.
Interested in wilderness camping or backpacking? Start with our guide to reserving a backcountry site in the North Cascades. Prefer frontcountry over backcountry, or not sure about the difference? Start with our “Backcountry Beginners: Backcountry, Frontcountry, and How To Decide” article.
Or if you prefer to stay indoors, consider staying in a historic national park lodge. Our recommendation? Check out the North Cascades Lodge at Stehekin, which supports the park through a guest donation program.
More interested in mountaineering and learning how to summit the peaks of the Cascades? Consider participating in one of our fundraising climbs through Climb for a Cause, like Joel. He shared his story in our blog.
ON THE BLOG
As we climb the ridge in the morning glow, Mount Baker decides to show off with Lenticular cloud magic. But behind her, a dark, gray cloud emerges. Our guide tells us to enjoy the show for now, but hold on for the weather – it will be here shortly.
Read On
Climbing a peak isn’t the only way to give back to the park. You can volunteer your time, purchase park merchandise, donate to support priority park projects — the options are practically endless!
When you purchase a national park license plate, $28 is donated to support park projects. The image on the plate is an actual photo of North Cascades National Park, so you can show your park pride and shout out the Cascades while you do it!
Explore all the ways to give.
No matter the season, the North Cascades has a lot to offer. Find our top recommendations for visiting the park in summer, fall, winter, or spring, or check out our blog for more inspiration:
October 22, 2024
October 7, 2024
September 11, 2024
June 21, 2024
May 23, 2024
March 22, 2024
Park photos: Thornton Lake by Mitch Pittman, and views from Ruby Mountain by Nate Brown