Jackie Steffan North Cascades National Park was the third and final stop on our Washington road trip. North Cascades is one of the least visited national parks, but don’t be fooled into thinking you’ll be the only person there. Many popular hikes are a part of the “National Park Complex”. This includes the National Park, Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Even though there may be more people than you originally thought, this park is definitely in the top 5 of all National Parks I have visited!
We drove in from Olympic, the total length of the trip was about 4 hours. We took the ferry to Whidbey Island, and drove the rest of the way to North Cascades on scenic Route 20. Route 20 is commonly known as one of the most scenic drives in the US! It lives up to the hype.
We stayed in Mazama, a few miles north of Winthrop in the Methow Valley. The Methow Valley is to the east of the park. It lies at a lower elevation and provides completely different views than the park. Many winter sports teams train for the Olympics in this region.
For the sake of brevity, this post won’t give you step by step details on each hike. Washington Trails Association is an excellent resource and will give you all the details on hikes across the state.
https://www.wta.org/go-outside/hikes
Day One
Since we were staying in Mazama on the east side of the park, we chose to spend our first day on the west side of the park as we drove through from Olympic. Our first day gave us a great glimpse into how incredible North Cascades National Park is.
Cascade Pass
- From Marblemount, turn onto Cascade River Rd and take it to the very end. The road starts paved, but eventually turns to gravel. There are a lot of turns, inclines, and pull-offs before the trailhead. It can take up to an hour to drive to the trailhead depending on conditions. There were a few times we questioned if we were there. Keep going, there is a circle at the very end with a parking area.
- This was the only hike we did in the formal National Park.
- To get to Cascade Pass, the hike is 7.4 miles total, with 1700 ft of elevation gain. The hike starts in the forest and has switchbacks for days. You will eventually get above the tree line and will hike through subalpine meadows to the Pass.
- We saw so much wildlife on this trail, chipmunks, pikas, marmots (although people passing us told us one was a badger), and two black bears! A lot of people see mountain goats, especially if you continue onto Sahale Arm (an additional 2.2 miles one way). We unfortunately didn’t see any goats in North Cascades. Just remember to keep a safe distance from all wildlife.
- If you listen closely, you can hear the glaciers cracking!
Gorge Power House and Ladder Creek Falls
- From the parking area at the powerhouse, take the bridge to the right of the powerhouse and take the 0.5 mile loop to the falls. There are signs with the history of the Skagit Hydroelectric Project.
- There is a lightshow on the waterfall at night, but make sure to bring a flashlight for your hike out.
Diablo Lake
- Diablo Lake is one of the most Instagramable lakes I have ever seen. Sediment from the surrounding glaciers causes the lake to have the most incredible blue color.
- We only visited the overlook, but there are lots of other activities and trails that can bring you closer. We saw a lot of other visitors kayaking, canoeing, and SUPing.
Day Two
Our second day was spent exclusively in the National Forest section of the Park Complex. We hiked some of the most popular trails and they were definitely worth it.
Heather – Maple Pass Loop
- The parking area for this hike is labeled for Rainy Pass. There is a fairly large parking area, but this is one of the most popular hikes in the Complex, so you may have to park along the road.
- The total mileage is 7.2 roundtrip, with 2,000 ft of elevation gain. There is a lot of conversation about which direction to hike the loop. We hiked counterclockwise and were happy we did! While the back half was super steep, it was much easier going down than hiking up.
- If you are going counterclockwise, there is a side trail to Lake Ann after 1.25 miles, which will add on another approximately 0.6 miles. We chose not to take it because you can see it from above on the trail, but people said good things about it. The trail starts at the parking lot, not the paved trail to Rainy Lake.
- This is one of the most incredible hikes I have done. The views of the mountains in all directions were amazing, the wildflowers were great, and there was something to see for everyone. If you are looking for a longer hike, I would certainly recommend Maple Pass Loop.
- At the end, the loop meets up with the paved trail to Rainy Lake, which adds about a mile, but it is relatively flat.
Blue Lake
- Traveling back to Mazama, the Blue Lake trailhead is a few miles on the right. The parking area here is smaller, but there is plenty of parking along the road.
- The hike is 4.4 miles roundtrip, with 1,000 ft of elevation gain. You’ll hike over some boardwalks through the forest and eventually up above the tree line. On the hike up, there were rock climbers on the left side of the trail. We saw quite a few people scaling up the surrounding cliff walls. The were very cool to see.
- A lot of people see mountain goats on this trail, we didn’t see any here unfortunately.
- Blue Lake is beautiful and so clear! There were plenty of rocks to have a snack and enjoy the lake and surrounding cliffs.
Washington Pass Overlook
- A few miles past Blue Lake on the left is the Washington Pass Overlook. It is a short walk to an overlook and is another good option for views if you are short on time.
Day Three
Easy Pass
- Despite the name, Easy Pass is not easy, the hike is 7 miles, with 2,800 ft of elevation gain. It apparently got its name because it doesn’t look that difficult to get to the Pass, but don’t fall for those thoughts.
- The trailhead is between mile markers 151 and 152 on Rt 20 and is clearly marked for Easy Pass, where you will find a small parking lot.
- At the beginning of the trail, you’ll have to cross a few streams. Some have bridges and others do not. Like most trails in the park, you start in the forest and eventually make your way into alpine meadows.
- This was one of those hikes that make you feel so small, with plenty of tall cliffs and rock outcroppings surrounding the trail.
- There are a lot of blueberries along the trail, and since this is in the National Forest, the rules on consuming the berries are a bit looser, so just make sure to stay on the trail and not cross through the meadow. They are very delicate and can be damaged by walking on it.
- The last stretch of the hike up to the Pass is very steep and rocky, so take your time and be careful. Once you get to the top, the trail levels out for a bit. There are some rocks where you can stop, have a snack, and enjoy the views from Easy Pass.
Food
- Mazama Store, a super cool store that also serves coffee, breakfast pasties and sandwiches, and delicious lunch sandwiches.
- Methow Valley Cider House
- Old Schoolhouse Brewery
- Sheri’s Sweet Shop (chocolates and ice cream!)
Related Posts
As mentioned earlier, we started this adventure from Olympic. If interested in a Washington National Park road trip, see our three day itineraries in Olympic National Park and Mount Rainier National Park.
