North Cascades National Park

Getting to the Park:

The park and recreation areas are always open, but access is limited by snow during the winter. SR20 (North Cascades Scenic Highway), the major access to Ross Lake NRA, is partially closed from approximately mid-November to mid-April. Exact opening and closing dates depend on weather conditions and snow depths.

By Air: The nearest major airport is Seatac near Seattle, Washington. Chelan Airways provides floatplane access to Stehekin in Lake Chelan National Recreation Area.

By Car: Access to the North Cascades and Ross Lake area is from I-5 at Burlington, west of the mountains, and Twisp, on the east, following Washington State Route (SR) 20 with branch routes to Baker Lake (Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest) and the Cascade River. The park and recreation areas are always open, but access is limited by snow in winter. Two roads, both gravel, enter North Cascades National Park itself: the Cascade River Road from Marblemount and the Stehekin Valley Road, which does not connect to any roads outside the Stehekin Valley. There are no road connections to Lake Chelan National Recreation Area; access is by trail, passenger ferry, and floatplane. The only road access to the shore of Ross Lake is via the Silver-Skagit Road (gravel) from near Hope, British Columbia.

Public Transportation: The LINK public bus system in Chelan County connects to the passenger ferry at Chelan (Lake Chelan Boat Company; 509-682-4584) which goes to Stehekin Landing in Lake Chelan National Recreation Area at the opposite end of the lake. The SKAT public bus system in Skagit County offers one trip per day to Newhalem in Ross Lake National Recreation Area. Very little of the park is accessible via public transportation.

Getting Around the Park:  The North Cascades Highway goes through Ross Lake National Recreation Area. Cascade River Road leaves SR20 at Marblemount, WA, to more trailheads. Bus services in the Stehekin Valley (Lake Chelan National Recreation Area) are provided by the NPS and the Stehekin Adventure Company. Service from Stehekin Landing to High Bridge (11 miles) is available from mid-May through mid-October. NPS bus service from High Bridge to Bridge Creek (Pacific Crest Trail) begins in mid-June, snow and road conditions permitting. Reservations are not needed for the Stehekin Adventure bus but are highly recommended (required May 19 - June 15) for the NPS shuttle buses due to smaller capacity. To reserve, call (360) 856-5700 ext. 340, then 14. Reservations can also be made in person at visitor centers or when obtaining backcountry permits. 

North Cascades National Park
General Information	Lodging in the Park
Getting to the Park	Maps
Camping	Nearby National Parks, Forests & Scenic Roads
Educational Opportunities	Things to Do
History and Geology	Travel & Tourism Offices
Jobs and Volunteering	Weather