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Explore the High Country
North of Seattle, the state of Washington's North Cascades area is simply one of the most beautiful places in our nation, only an hour or two from Seattle, depending on which highway you take. Welcome to recreation in Washington State.
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The Cascade Mountains offer Hiking, Camping, Kayaking, Climbing, Hunting and Fishing, and a variety of snow sports.

If these are your interests, explore our exciting website to find out more about outdoor recreation in the North Cascades.

Whether you live in Seattle, or are just visiting Seattle and looking for recreation, continue reading for a list of places, features, and activities that set apart the North Cascades.


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1) North Cascades National Park: We'd certainly be remiss if we didn't specifically mention the biggest and arguably the best attraction in the North Cascades-North Cascades National Park.

The North Cascades National Park Service Complex comprises 684,313 acres of land and includes the Lake Chelan and Ross Lake national recreation areas. It resides in the northern reaches of the Cascade Mountain Range in northwestern Washington and is surrounded by forest lands on the south, west, and east and by provincial lands in British Columbia in the north.



Incredible Sights: One of the things that set this park apart from others is its beauty. In fact, it's interesting to note that earlier in this piece we made a distinction between recreation and beauty when in fact witnessing beauty is recreation to some.

And if you're one of those types then taking in the park's Glacier Peak Wilderness in the Mount Baker - Snoqualmie and Wenatchee national forests will be your type of thing, as will taking in Lake Chelan in the southern part of the forest.

We're talking about a totally natural lake that sits in a trough carved by glaciers. Oh yeah, and it's 1,500 feet deep, making it one of the deepest lakes in the entire country. But we could sit here and talk about the sheer beauty of North Cascades National Park and its 400 plus glaciers and multitude of 8,000 foot peaks forever. Let's get to some ideas regarding what to do both there and in the areas surrounding.

Cycling: There are plenty of places to cycle in the North Cascades. The North Cascades Highway is Route 20 in Washington, really the only truly viable way to get into this country, is just one of them. Of course, remember that cycling this scenic area is not for first timers.

In other words, to make this distance you're going to need some power and endurance to traverse the area from Rockport to Winthrop.

There are plenty of other cycling opportunities as well.

Fishing: It seems almost absurd to mention this as it's so obvious, but there is a whole lot of fishing in the area as well. Simply pick one of the bodies of water noted at this website and find information on this tranquil pastime.

Lake Chelan, Diablo Lake, and Ross Lake are just some of the possibilities.

Kayaking and Canoeing: If water is your game, then the North Casades, well, let's just say they have you covered. Try Ross Lake (Ross Lake Resort- 206-386-4437) or Diablo Lake. You'll need a permit to camp along the way at Ross, so make sure that you do your homework.

Mountain Climbing: There are plenty of mountains to climb in the North Cascades. Try Mount Shuksan, a 9,127 footer that once atop will rival any views you have ever taken in. Mt. Baker is, of course, the highest peak in the North Cascades reaching into the sky 10,781 feet. But if you're less experienced at all of this then there are other options.

Blue Peak and Wallaby Peak (West Ridge) are two of these. That said, you'll need to be in shape even if strong technical climbing skills may not be as important.

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Choose Your Adventure in the North Cascades

      HIKING
Hiking There are many hiking trails throughout the North Cascades. Many of these are short, easy hikes that are great for bringing along children. Many trails, however, are a lot longer and considered more difficult, and climb mountains and descend into valleys. GO!

      CAMPING
Camping There are many places to camp in the North Cascades. With so many camping experiences, the North Cascades offers an endless amount of potential adventures for people of all ages and skill level. GO!

      MOUNTAIN BIKING
Mountain Bike There should be tons of downhill and extreme mountain bike riding in the North Cascades, but there's not. There is a lot of cross-country riding, and so we do cover that here. GO!

      ICE / ROCK CLIMBING
Pack your ice axe and cramp-ons, and get ready for some serious climbing opportunities on snow-capped peaks and high-rising cliffs and overhangs. GO!

      MOTORCYCLE RIDES
Motorcycle The Mountain Loop Highway runs from Granite Falls and into the Cascades Mountains, winding passed Mt. Pilchuck, and becoming a gravel road at Barlow pass, where it winds north, and then east, to the town of Darrington. GO!

      KAYAKING
Kayaking The North Cascades have some of the nation's best kayaking and draw adventure-seekers from all over. GO!

      SNOW SPORTS
Heli-Ski / Snowboard With snow throughout much of the North Cascades most seasons of the year, snowshoeing, snowboarding, and skiing are all exciting (and sometimes dangerous) ways to explore the Cascade Mountains of Washington State. GO!

      FISHING
Fishing There are many streams, rivers, and lakes in the North Cascades that offer a variety of fishing -- depending on the time of the year. GO!

      HUNTING
Hunting From deer, to elk, to black bear, and even rabbit, hunters like the North Cascades for the wide expanse of territory open to hunting. GO!





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Guide to Lightweight Tents

Always work with appropriate mountain climbing professionals before attempting such a feat. Remember, this can be dangerous.

Picnicking: Of course, with the amount of natural beauty you can stop almost anywhere to have a bite. One of the favorite places to do this is Washington Pass (elevation 5,477 feet). At Washington Pass you can take in breathtaking views of the nearby and far off mountains while chowing down. The Baker Lake area of Mt. Baker - Snoqualmie National Forest is also wonderful for this, as well as camping, boating, fishing, and hiking.

River Rafting: The Upper Skagit River is just one place that you can enjoy river rafting in the North Cascades region. Alpine Adventures, just outside of Seattle and on Route 2, can give you the skinny on the available options if interested.

USEFUL LINKS

Heli-Ski

Northern Washington Trails

North Cascades National Park

Alpine Ascents Baker Climb

U.S. Parks North Cascades

Washington State National Parks

North Cascades Mountain Guides

Go Northwest Stevens Pass

Ashland Lakes

Skiing: There are multiple options for would be skiers in the North Cascades. For example, the Stevens Pass ski area, located on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie and Wenatchee National forests, is one of them. Heli-skiing is also a possibility in the North Cascades.

Hiking Trails: There are numerous places that you can do this; in fact, this could be the single most popular thing to do in the North Cascades. Along with this, perhaps the greatest concentration of hiking trails resides near the Mountain Loop Highway in Granite Falls (get yourself some pizza or Italian food at Omega Pizza & Pasta if you're there, by the way). While on the Mountain Loop, try the Ashland Lakes Trail where a round trip to Twins Falls Lake is only about seven miles and the views are breathtaking.

As we outline some of the popular trail destinations it would seem important to remember that the North Cascades represent some of the wildest lands in the United States. That's the draw, people. But this can also spell the word dangerous. Avalanche conditions and more make it necessary for you to really check out what you're doing with professionals and forest services before going anywhere.

Still, another option for experienced backpackers could be a five- day trip through scenic alpine meadows on the way to Whatcom Pass. During this 46 mile trek you'll find yourself following mostly ridgelines overlooking beauty that's hard to fathom. Of course, the beauty of the alpine meadows and sheltered trees can be offset by the difficult river crossings as you move from Hannegan Pass to Chilliwack Valley to Whatcom Pass to Big Beaver Creek and finally to Ross Lake.

Still, to the true nature lover this is akin to Las Vegas for gamblers. And check with a guide for many other hiking/ backpacking opportunities, including much easier treks such as the Rainy Lake National Recreation Trail, which begins at Rainy Lake rest stop and is only 1 mile (it also accommodates wheelchairs). Or a trail in the Steven's Pass area (Route 2) called the Iron Goat Trail.

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