North Cascades National Park - General Park Information

Jagged peaks, deep valleys, cascading waterfalls and over 300 glaciers adorn the North Cascades National Park Service Complex. Three park units in this mountainous region are managed as one and include North Cascades National Park, Ross Lake, and Lake Chelan National Recreation Areas. These complementary protected lands are united by a contiguous overlay of Stephen Mather Wilderness.

The mountains, forests, rivers and lakes of North Cascades National Park Service Complex provide a rich tapestry of visitor experience for all abilities and interests. Almost 400 miles of trails and vast undeveloped wilderness allow visitors to experience nature with minimal human-caused intrusions. Possible experiences range from accessible trails to world class mountaineering, including scenic drives, hiking, camping, nature-watching, relaxation, boating and fishing.

The development of the General Management Plan (GMP) for Ross Lake National Recreation Area (NRA) is moving forward. The NPS has outlined a full range of proposals for how Ross Lake NRA's resources, programs, recreational activities, and facilities could be managed in the future. These preliminary alternatives, or visions for the future, address the NRA's purpose, resource and visitor use issues, legal mandates, and the public comments received to date.

The North Cascades are named after the abundant waterfalls that lace the mountains. Two of the best known waterfalls are Gorge Falls between Newhalem and Diablo along State Route 20 and Rainbow Falls in the Stehekin Valley.

Steep mountains and onshore weather systems from the Pacific Ocean influence a wide range of climate conditions in the North Cascades. One of the snowiest places on earth, the westside mountains collect more snow than melts each year (forming glaciers). On the east side of the mountains, conditions are much dryer.