North Cascades National Park is a vast wilderness of jagged mountain peaks, distant glaciers, lakes, and forested valleys. Quite honestly, despite the abundance of trees, we were surprised by the way the dark, granite peaks dominated the landscape. Another surprise to us was that most of the trailheads we visited were actually located within national forests, and not technically in North Cascades National Park.
Within easy striking distance from Seattle, areas within the park can be busy, but by starting on trail early and visiting during the week, the worst of the crowds can be avoided. The hiking trails here are superb as are the scenic viewpoints located along North Cascades Highway (20). We spent three days in August enjoying some of the best trails in the Cascades.
Day 1 | Hike the Blue Lake Trail
Blue Lake Trail Hike
Hiking the Blue Lake Trail was the perfect introductory hike in the Cascades. We began our hike by crossing several short boardwalks and as the path meandered through a forest as we quickly left the highway behind. We eventually reached a meadow, then hiked through a bit more forest before reaching Blue Lake.
We sat on a rock here to enjoy our lunch, then continued on to do a short, marked loop beyond the lake. We actually thought this little loop had the best views of the entire hike, and no one else was up there! Aside from the lake, the clear view of the Liberty Mountain Group, a popular rock climbing destination, was a highlight.
After spending the morning driving, this was the perfect hike to warm up our legs and give us a taste of what was to come in the Cascades. We hiked 5.5 miles but only gained 1,000 feet of elevation, taking 2 hours and 20 minutes total.
Need to Know
- Fees: North Cascades National Park does not charge a fee to enter. However, this hike and parking area is actually in a National Forest, which does require a pass to park. You park at this trailhead using a day or annual Northwest Forest Pass, or an America the Beautiful Pass. If you will be visiting several national parks or national forest sites in a year, we highly recommend purchasing the $80 America the Beautiful Pass.
- Parking: There is a large parking area at the trailhead off Highway 20. If that is full, there is also parking along the highway.
Visit the Washington Pass Overlook
Less than a mile from the Blue Lake Trailhead is the turnoff for the Washington Pass Overlook. We walked the short, paved path to the guardrail marking the view point which afforded us sweeping views of the snaking highway below and towering granite peaks across the way. Definitely stop here!
Overnight in Twisp
We stayed at the Twisp River Suites for one night and wished we could have stayed longer! While our room was clean, comfortable, and had A/C (very important since it was almost 100 degrees Fahrenheit), the real star of the show was the riverfront location. At the end of the day, we made our way down the short path to the Twisp River and enjoyed a few beers sitting in chairs that were literally positioned in the river. Soaking our feet in the cool, rushing water after a day of hiking was heavenly. We also absolutely loved the homemade breakfast available the next morning. The perfect fuel for our day ahead!
We ate dinner just a short walk away at La Fonda Lopez, enjoying a delicious meal of Mexican food.
Day 2 | Hike Maple Pass & Rainy Lake
Heather-Maple Pass & Rainy Lake Loop Hike
This hike was recommended to us by a native Washingtonian and colleague several years ago. We kept it on our “someday list” and were thrilled to finally have the chance to visit in person. This loop hike did not disappointment with its numerous ridgelines, wildflowers, lakes, and dramatic vista views.
We began our hike by walking on the easy, paved path to Rainy Lake, which shares a trailhead with Maple Pass. This portion of the trail was 1 mile and was the perfect way to warm up our legs. Rainy Lake was crystal clear and surrounded by a lush, green mountainside.
We then made our way back to the main trail, hiking clockwise up through a set of switchbacks that had us steadily gaining elevation. We elected to hike in this direction to ascend the steepest part of the trail but there weren’t too many other takers, so we had this part of the trail to ourselves, even at 10am. As we climbed, views of the mountains and lakes got better and better.
At the top of the pass the views were great, but we added on a bit of a scramble up a rocky outcropping nearby. Here, the 360-degree views were downright jaw-dropping. We could even see views of distant glaciers we couldn’t see below. We soaked in the moment and enjoyed a snack before heading down.
As we began our hike down, the trail was incredibly hot, dry, and dusty, with no shade. We took care to cover up and drink lots of water, taking a break on a rock to enjoy our lunch. We were making good time as the trail skirted by Lake Ann. There is an optional detour here, but we kept going, passing by the trail offshoot to Heather Pass. After 4.5 hours we reached our car, having covered 9 miles as part of the loop and gaining 2,500 feet of elevation. If we had to recommend just one hike in the North Cascades, this would be the one.
Need to Know
- Fees: North Cascades National Park does not charge a fee to enter. However, this hike and parking area is actually in a National Forest, which does require a pass to park. You park at this trailhead using a day or annual Northwest Forest Pass, or an America the Beautiful Pass. If you will be visiting several national parks or national forest sites in a year, we highly recommend purchasing the $80 America the Beautiful Pass.
- Parking: There is a medium-sized parking area at the trailhead off Highway 20. If that is full, there is also parking along the highway.
Visit the Diablo Lake Overlook
The vista point above Diablo Lake is not to missed when on a drive along the scenic Highway 20 through the Cascades. Glacier-fed, the water is so turquoise it’s almost hard to believe.
You’ll also find the North Cascades National Park sign along Highway 20. This is one of our favorite park signs ever with its homage to the mountains and snow built in as natural features.
Overnight in Marblemount
We stayed at the North Cascades Inn, unique accommodations located in an old-growth cedar log house. This is the closest place we could find to the following day’s hike up Cascade Pass, and even then it was still an hour drive. With only 15 rooms and a coveted position just outside the western entrance to the park, these sell out quickly, so book early!
We had a good experience and because there is self check-in, we never saw another soul.
We had dinner at Mondo Restaurant just across the street. The beer and burgers were exactly what we needed after a day of hiking.
Day 3 | Hike Cascade Pass & Sahale Arm
Cascade Pass & Sahale Arm Hike
This hike is routinely billed as one of the most beautiful in all of Washington, so we were excited to experience it for ourselves. We set off from the trailhead just after 6am with low hanging clouds, but clear enough skies to watch the sunrise begin to hit the distant peaks.
The first part of the trail involved what felt like approximately 5 million switchbacks through a heavily forested area. In fact there are “only” about 30 switchbacks, but they still felt never-ending, especially when there weren’t many views.
After reaching the final switchback we reached open slopes and made our way across a long rockfield before reaching Cascade Pass. From here we could see impressive glaciers and mountains far into the valley below. Many people just hike up to this pass, which is a fantastic hike in and of itself given the relatively low effort required.
We, however, continued on towards Sahale Arm, where the true climb began up more switchbacks. These were along a steep slope, and markedly more difficult than those before. We were serenaded by a chorus of marmots, happily chirping us on our way.
After the first climb, we rounded a corner to see more magnificent mountains and glaciers.
Doubtful Lake also lay below and here the trail somewhat flattened out before turning up towards Sahale Mountain.
The alpine meadows here were gorgeous and somewhat unexpected.
As we neared Sahale Mountain the summit became completely obscured in clouds. It also got incredibly cold and windy, so we had to stop to layer up. Along the way, we met two hikers who had camped at Sahale Glacier Camp, one of whom told us the climb “probably wasn’t worth it”. Undeterred, having come this far, we pressed on. The last half mile was SO steep, climbing straight up loose rock and scree. But we made it!
Unfortunately the clouds continued to roll in, although they did briefly clear enough to provide a glimpse of the terminal moraine of the glacier. We did not, however, see the endless parade of mountains this hike is known for. ☹️
We made our way down, savoring the scenery as the clouds gave way at times. We stopped to warm up and eat our lunch on a boulder overlooking Doubtful Lake and the valley below.
This hike was amazing as is, but we can’t imagine how much more amazing it would have been in crystal clear weather. We definitely recommend putting this one on your list, even if you just make it to Cascade Pass. It’s worth the effort! We hiked a total of 12.9 miles in 6 hours and 50 minutes, gaining 4,000 feet of elevation over the course of the day.
Need to Know
- Fees: North Cascades National Park does not charge a fee to enter and parking at this location is free.
- Getting to the trailhead: From Marblemount, WA, it is an hour drive along a gravel road to the trailhead. The road is steep, windy, and quite rutted and bumpy during the last 1/2 mile, so use caution when driving. We would recommend a high clearance vehicle if possible.
- Parking: There is a large parking area at the end of Cascade River Road. Due to the popularity of this hike, the lot can fill quite early, in which case rangers will generally be there to direct hikers to park farther down the road, off to the side.
