Maple Pass Loop:7.2 miles, moderate to difficult. To get from the lake to Desolation Peak, it is a challenging, steep hike. The trailhead can be reached by crossing Ross Lake by boat or by hiking an additional 16 miles on the East Bank Trail. Located on Ross Lake, Desolation Peak offers sweeping views over the park. This is a family-friendly trail that starts at Diablo Lake.ĭesolation Peak:9.4 miles, hard. For beautiful views over Diablo Lake, hike to the top of Thunder Knob. Thunder Knob: 3.6 miles, easy to moderate. After a short descent, you are standing at the shore of Thornton Lake. Then the trail climbs steeply up to a ridgeline. The trail starts off easy, a relatively flat walk through thick forests. This beautiful, remote lake is surrounded by rocky mountains. North Cascades National Park is a highly underrated park but for those who venture here, it is a peaceful, beautiful experience. In 2022, it only had 30,000 visitors, making it the 6th least visited national park in the United States. North Cascades is one of the least visited parks in the national park system. Various plans have been proposed to restore grizzly bear populations within North Cascades National Park. Grizzly bear sightings are rare however that may change. While visiting the park, keep an eye out for elk, moose, marmots, pika, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, black bear, coyote, lynx, bobcats and otters. North Cascades National Park is nicknamed the American Alps, getting its name from the jagged, rocky mountain peaks and emerald green slopes. Somebody had fun naming these mountains: Mount Terror, Phantom Peak, Poltergeist Pinnacle, Mount Fury, and Ghost Peak. In the northern area of the park is the Picket Range, a collection of mountains, most rising over 8,000 feet. Over millions of years, these glaciers created some of the steepest mountain ranges in the USA, some mountains rising 4,000 to 6,000 feet above their bases. In the park, there are over 300 glaciers and 300 lakes. The North Cascades Range, for which this park is named, has the largest glacial system in the United States, other than Alaska. Interesting Facts About North Cascades National Park Even though Mount Baker is not tucked away with the national park complex, it still makes a great place to add onto your visit to the North Cascades, as it is a gorgeous place to go hiking in the summer and skiing in the winter. To the west is the Mount Baker – Snoqualmie National Forest and the Mount Baker Wilderness. To the east is the Okanogan National Forest, where you will find beautiful lakes, hiking trails, and the Washington Pass Overlook. National protected lands lie right outside of the National Park Complex. To get to these regions, you can either drive on one of the dirt roads or go backpacking. This includes the area north and south of Highway 20. The remainder of the complex is called North Cascades National Park. Once in Stehekin, you can go on day hikes or start a backpacking adventure into the interior of the park. From Chelan, you can take a boat, plane, or hike to Stehekin, a very small town that is located at the northern end of Lake Chelan. Lake Chelan is in the southeast part of the North Cascades National Park Complex. This is where most visitors spend the majority of their time. The area along Highway 20 and around Ross Lake is called the Ross Lake National Recreational Area. There is only one paved road in the park.Highway 20 (also known as North Cascades Highway) runs east west through the park, along the Skagit River, bisecting the park into two pieces. There are three sections to North Cascades National Park Complex:the Chelan Lake National Recreational Area (which includes Stehekin), Ross Lake National Recreational Area, and North Cascades National Park.
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