Snapshot Planning your VisitWhen we visited the park We visited the park in August, and it probably isn't the best time to visit. We had very limited access to the park because of a wildfire and closed roads. The weather itself was great, but the conditions led to us seeing about half of what we wanted to see. The afternoon got very hot, so layers are a great idea for this park, and plenty of water (more than you probably think) are great things to plan for. I can imagine spring in this park is spectacular!  weather-us.com Things to Consider 1. The first thing to know is, the time of year you visit will really make a difference in this park. I imagine spring and early summer being an ideal time to visit. We were dealing with wildfires in August when we visited, and it limited our travels. 2. This park is very remote. There are limited amenities in the park, the is a great deal of land that can only be accessed with Backcountry Hiking permits. The visitor center has a great map to view the whole park. 3. Ross Lake Resort looks like an amazing place to stay, on the water, with fishing opportunities. Book early if it is something you would be interested in. 4. Pack extra water. We thought we would be fine with the individual water bottles we had, however the afternoon sun was hot, and we had to stop at a nearby gas station to get more. 5. There are three decent options for getting in the water here, either swimming, paddling, or boating. Diablo Lake has a great beach areas to enjoy the water, Ross Lake has the resort and boat rentals, Lake Chelan is very large and best scene by Boat or fishing charter.   Ross Lake Resort How to Get There 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. Additional Maps Provided by the Park Where to Stay Outside the Park Ross Lake Resort This resort is a floating resort on the shores of Ross Lake, and it looks like a unique and memorable experience. Sometime in the future, we would like to stay here and spend more time exploring the lakes in the area. The resort also offers guides and boat rentals, and canoes to explore the water in a variety of ways. This is a very popular resort, and with the limited lodging accommodations, you have to enter a lottery to get a reservation here. The prices range from $240-$450 a night to stay here depending on the type of accommodations needed. There is also 58 camping sites available along the lake. You need to have a Backcountry camping permit from NPS for any of these sites. Wind is a big factor here, so be prepared for any activities on Ross Lake to involve high winds. North Cascades Lodge at Stehekin This lodge offers a variety of rooms and cabins along Lake Chelan. This is located further south in the park, away from the main highway. There is plenty to do here as well, with a restaurant, biking, and fishing available here. This location is going to feel more isolated and remote if you are looking to escape for a bit. Camping There is only camping available inside the Park boarders. Ross Lake National Recreational Area is intertwined with the park, and there are some options for staying there as well. Below are options for camping in the park. Colonial Creek North Campground This 37-site campground is located along the shores of Diablo Lake, near a nice beach area. This campground has access to drinking water, flush toilets, tent sites, hiking and plenty of lake recreational activities. The campground is open May through September and costs $24/night to reserve a site. Colonial Creek South Campground This 91-site campground is located at the far end of Diablo Lake, just south of the North Campground. This campground has the most amenities for campers, with drinking water, flush toilets, RV sites (no electric hook ups), hiking, and lakeshore access. It is about halfway through the park off Hwy 20. The campground is open May through September and costs $24/night to reserve a site. Goodell Creek Campground This 20-site campground is open year round, with reservations available from May through September for $20/night. The rest of the year is on a first-come basis. This campground is located near hiking trails, fishing lakes and rivers. There is running water and vault toilets here. Gorge Lake Campground This 8-site primitive campground is near Gorge Lake, is available May through September to reserve for $20/night or October through April on a first-come basis. There is not water, showers, or flush toilets available here. Sites can accommodate most RVs, but there are not electric hook-ups. Harlequin Campground This 7-site remote campground is located near Lake Chelan. It is available for rent for $20/night during the spring and summer season, then turns to a first-come basis during colder months. There is no running water at this campground, but there are pit toilets available. This campground is not accessible by car, and requires a boat, hiking, or plane to stay here. Lakeview Campground (Stehekin) This 9-site campground located near Lake Chelan is a walk-in campground or requires a boat to access it. This is a tent only campground that costs $20/night to reserve. You can make reservations from May to September, then it becomes available on a first-come basis. There is no running water at this campground, but pit toilets are available. Newhalem Creek Campground This 107-site campground is open May through September and will cost $24/night to reserve a site. This campground is at milepost 120 on Hwy 20 through the main drive of the park. There are RV and tent sites here, along with running water, and flush toilets. This is located within a hydroelectric dam, and warning sirens let campers know of rising water levels. Purple Point Campground This 6-site remote campground is located near Lake Chelan. It is a walk-in campground that requires a boat or plane to access it. This is a tent only campground that costs $20/night to reserve. You can make reservations from May until September, then it becomes available on a first-come basis. There is drinking water and flush toilets available.   Diablo Lake What We Did Our visit to North Cascades was much shorter than we had anticipated. Fire season had the east side of the park mostly closed off, so we couldn't make it all the way through the park. We made the most of the couple hours we spent there though. We arrived from Bellingham, WA, so entered the part from the west. The first stop we made was at the North Cascades Visitor Center. I highly recommend stopping here, not because of the beauty of the facility and the museum area, but because there is a large topography map showing how wild and remote this park is. The rangers here offered us great suggestions of what to see with our limited time, and also safety concerns with the wildfires currently in the park. It allowed us to adjust our original plans for the day. We decide to walk the River Loop Trail, which begins just outside the rear doors of the visitor center. This short loop is boardwalk and easily accessible for everyone (especially young kids) to explore some of the wooded areas of the park. Don't forget water for any hikes here! It was surprisingly hot when we were there in August. When we were done hiking, we decided to drive as much of the main scenic drive (Hwy 20) through the park. This got us just beyond Diablo Lake, and then we couldn't access any further east because of the wildfires. The next place we stopped was Gorge Creek Falls Trail. This short hike is paved for about part of the way, to the waterfall overlook. Then the trail continues to some overlooks of the lake, however this is unpaved and not even trails. The hike is not strenuous, but it is less of a paved trail. The overlooks provided a stunning view of the blue alpine lake below. We continued on to Diablo Lake after that, stopping at the overlook on our way. Looking down of the lake gives you a very different perspective, then being at the shoreline. We stopped at the beach area of Diablo Lake and played and swam for a while then. We walked along the shore, skipped stones, cooled off in the water, and watched the 3 plane fire control efforts on the nearby peaks. We spent about two hours here, and relaxed for a bit before our drive to Vancouver. This spot would be great for a picnic, with shaded picnic tables between the parking lot and lake. We were mesmerized by how they managed the fire, trying to control the line and not let it down the slope of the mountain. We tried to drive a bit past Diablo Lake, but didn't make it far before the road was shut down. I had really wanted to spend time at Ross Lake, ideally staying at Diablo Lake Resort. We hope to make it back to North Cascades for an early summer trip and spend some time at the resort then. Where this fit in our Road Trip This was the third national park we visited on our Washington trip. We started in Portland, OR and worked our way north to Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada. We made this a day trip after leaving Olympic National Park and taking a ferry across the inlet. This was a stopping point as we made our way up to Vancouver for three days there. NPS App and All Trails Maps I highly recommend using the National Park Service (NPS) App, as well as the All Trails App for hiking. There is limited service in the park, so planning ahead is helpful. These two apps allow you to download sights, maps, and trails so that you can access information anywhere. The NPS app also links to the full National Parks Website, with a plethora of information.
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