As ofNovember15, 2022, Cascade Lakes Highway is CLOSED. We drove during the Fall of 2021 and the drive is amazing. 902 S.E. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. There are a lot of people. . pic.twitter.com/mySmPO4RyC. The Best Months to Visit the North Cascades are August and September. In fact, this park has a third of all glaciers in the lower 48 states. Lots of picture taking sites. Continual snow/ice maintenance of these road segments is cost prohibitive. Almost all RVs will fit here, and there are several hiking trails nearby. You will not receive emails from cascadeloop.com at this email address unless you sign up for one of our mailing lists. It thaws out ahead of most other lakes, and the one-mile round trip is a nice walk. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport Shuttle, 2.5 Hours of Monument Valley's Backcountry Jeep Tour, American Dream DreamWorks Indoor Water Park Ticket, Day Trip to Nami Island with The Garden of Morning Calm, 9 Day, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua Tour, Pattaya Island Hopping (Koh Pai + Koh Rin + Koh Ped). Travelers should plan for longer than normal travel times over the summit of Stevens Pass. We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location. We are from Australia and rented an RV from Seattle to travel around the states. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. So lets get started! Space Rocks. Visit the Washington Pass Overlook for breathtaking views of Liberty Bell Mountain and the Early Winters Spires. The precise dates depend on weather conditions. Reach early so that you can have a piece of heaven to yourself. Full view. Paulina Lake Road and the Cascade Lakes Highway will soon open in Deschutes County. The tunnels are rounded but Ive seen large trucks go through them. If you are driving the North Cascades Highway, there really is no reason whatsoever to bypass this. The walk to the viewpoint is a short quarter-mile circle, and its immediately off the highway with a lovely parking space. From there, in order to reach the park, you will have to take State Route 20 corridor that connects with Interstate 5 located at Burlington. -If youre coming in the winter, make sure your vehicle is in excellent working order and check the Washington State Department of Transportation for road closures. The North Cascades Scenic Highway (Highway 20) is open typically from mid-late April to mid-November or early December. For additional information, please contact the Deschutes County Road Department at (541) 388-6581. The route was closed between milepost 134 and 171 for potential avalanche danger on Thursday, Nov. 3. Keep in mind that the high-elevation sections of Highway 20 are closed during the winter season. A snow berm has been built at the Early Winters gate at milepost 178 while crews focus on clearing routes on the east side of the mountain passes. Desolation Mountain is a 6,106-foot peak in the North Cascades Mountains that may be accessed through a popular but difficult walk. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. WSDOT tweeted that State Route 20 will close starting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 3, from milepost 134 to 171, as heavy snow and rain . North Cascades National Park is notable for its numerous glaciers, which are surrounded by the rocky peaks of the North Cascade Range. Youll need at least one complete day to see the North Cascade National Park. SR-20 can reopen any time from late April to early June, depending on the volume of the winter snowpack and whether any of it can still come down in the avalanche chutes. Sterling Munro Trail Snow may hang around on some trails until July and there is blocking on the roads in winters. At most "overlooks", you just pull off in a parking area and look out at a pretty view. However, it reopened the next day on Sept. 15. Their are also a few bathrooms and a decent amount of parking. Be warned, No Cell Service available. Learn more. On their website, they posted an update that said they are entering week 3 of the spring reopening work between mileposts 134 and 171. Colonial Creek is one of the parks most popular campsites, thanks to its prime position on the lake and stunning vistas. if gas is hard to find..food is harder to find. However, this isn't the only thing happening on SR 20 between Sedro-Woolley and Winthrop this year. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Choose from Plain Valley Nordic Ski Trails, Echo Ridge Nordic Ski Trails, and Methow Trails, as well as several locations in Leavenworth managed by Leavenworth Winter Sports Club. more, #1 of 26 things to do in North Cascades National Park, Chuckanut Bay Distillery Tour with 2 Mini Cocktails and Gift Glass, Alpine Cliff Camping 1000ft Off the Ground in Index WA, Tour from Bellingham to 10,781 ft Mt Baker, Bellingham International Airport One Way Transfer, 3-Day Private Guided Tour from Bellingham to Winthrop, Everett City Scavenger Hunt Excursion by Wacky Walks, Unique Scavenger Hunt Experience in Everett by Crazy Dash, Crime Solving Detective Experience Bellingham, Colonial Creek Campground - Stehekin Valley Trail. Stretching along the Skagit River, this 1.7-mile scenic trail is super easy to do for almost anyone and takes only 30-minutes to complete. Quality Inn, Three Rivers Inn, and Many More. Winthrop is a favorite western themed stop along the way. SOLD FEB 14, 2023. And for a slower experience -- Plan for a family fun sleigh ride at Sun Mountain Lodge,or visit a Reindeer Farm in Leavenworth. When we got up to Washington Pass Overlook we couldn't believe how beautiful it was. The Washington State Department of Transportation announced Wednesday that a stretch of the North Cascades Highway will be closed until at least early next week due to weather conditions. Because the eastern side gets 400 less inches of snow each year, the snow will melt a bit quicker. Of all the passes that traverse the Cascades, this is the most mountainous, with high hairpin turns and jaw-dropping vistas. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window), Best Time To Visit North Cascades National Park, Is Traveling A Hobby? This means our Loop becomes more of a crescent, and travelers should schedule accordingly. Also use a spotter. From November 1 to April 1, temperatures in the North Cascades vary between 8 and 25 degrees with minimal change. Please check Road Department website (www.deschutes.org/road) for updates in advance of opening and closing target dates. A harsh winter is delaying the reopening of the North Cascades Highway (SR20) between mileposts 134 and 171. The park is accessible by a state road, so you wont have to pay to see the sights. OCTOBER 17, 2022, 8AM -- US 2 (near Stevens Pass) is experiencing wildfire activity which has been causing intermittent closures. From majestic mountains, narrow glacial valleys, to plunging canyons and unique emerald lakes, it leaves the visitors in awe of the surroundings. Map Go for a Scenic Drive on North Cascades Highway. The Ross Dam Trail, a short trek of around 1,900 feet, is beautiful and well-maintained; see images here. So, here are the top 5 things to do in the park that you just cant miss: Drive along the North Cascades Highway is one of the best ways to experience everything the park has to offer without putting on your hiking boots. The overlooks above the lakes behind the dams provide views of the emerald green waters and surrounding forested mountains. A couple tips for this part of the trip: gas stations are few to nonexistent as you get closer to the park so be sure to have enough gas in your tank before you enter the park area. You can sign up for alerts to get updates through WSDOT, and you can see historic Open and Closure dates here. It allows tow trucks to operate rear-facing blue lights for use only at the scene of an . It is not uncommon for road side snow accumulation to exceed 5 to 10 feet at the road summit. The North Cascades have very cold and snowy winters. During the sixth week of the 2022 spring clearing on the North Cascades, Highway (SR20), eastside and westside crews met on the west side of Rainy Pass (May 6, 2022). Oh, and don't forget your camera! In the early 19th century, British companies did visit regions and limited mining and logging occurred in the area. The North Cascades Highway is part of the Cascade Loop a popular multi-day Washington road tripand is perhaps the most encompassing way to take in this mountainous, lake-dotted national park. Make sure you stop at Diablo Lake Vista Point. Newhalem Creek Campground is a natural jewel, shrouded by cedar, hemlock, and Douglas fir trees and situated near the Skagit River, which is fed by glacial flow. North Cascades Highway Back Open After Mudslide Over Road. What are you waiting for? To experience the grandeur, North Cascade National Park offers overnight camping opportunities at Scenic community campgrounds, boat-in campsites, remote backcountry sites. Between milepost 62 and 71 (summit of Stevens Pass), Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., there will be a reduced speed zone, lane shifts, and intermittent flagger controlled traffic. WINTHROP With nearly 30 inches of snowfall over the weekend, SR 20 North Cascades Highway will remain closed for the winter between Ross Lake Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Early Winters gate (milepost 178). You may spend your days fishing, hiking, boating (bring your own or hire one), or just relaxing on the dock and taking it all in. Incredible panoramas!!! The majority of the snow below 4,000 feet has melted, resulting in clear but muddy trekking. North Cascades Highway - North Cascades National Park Forum. McKenzie Highway, OR 242, closes for the season on Tuesday, November 1. We had to stay in Bellingham instead. Read: Is Traveling A Hobby? One of the best places along the Cascade Mountains. The Washington State Department of Transportation is reopening the North Cascades Highway, or Highway 20, for the season. There is absolutely no where in the park to buy food and no where within miles of the park to find it either. If you only stop one time when driving hwy 20, make sure it is here! Snow may hang around on some trails until July and there is blocking on the roads in winters. To learn about current conditions on these roads, please follow the links below. SR 410 Chinook & SR . North Cascades National Park is located in the northern part of Washington state. North Cascades. Slide Lake also boasts excellent fishing. PLEASE REMEMBER that Highway 20/North Cascades Pass is closed during winter months. Well worth it. North Cascades Highway, or State Route 20, was shut down following a massive mudslide near Mazama, Washington, on Sept. 14, 2022. Travel on the Cascade Loop can be a complete loop once again, when Highway 20 gates open this Thursday at noon. The road remains closed at the Ross Dam Trailhead at milepost 134 on the west side and at the Silver Star gate at milepost 171 on the east (Methow Valley) side. 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