Amazing, breathtaking, incredible - words cannot describe the beauty of the PNW…read more How lucky are we that we get to live in a world with such wonders? Pictures are from the Maple Pass Loop during larch season :)

I Just returned from another incredible adventure exploring the Pacific Northwest with a couple of…read moreunforgettable days in North Cascades National Park! I'm currently on a mission to visit all 63 designated National Parks in the United States and this trip marked Park #61 for me - only two more to go! After flying into Seattle, I picked up a rental car, picked up a friend, and headed straight for the North Cascades. First stop: the Wilderness Information Center just before the official park entrance. We browsed the exhibits, picked up passport stamps and Junior Ranger books (a must!), and chatted with some friendly and helpful rangers before continuing on to our campsite at Newhalem Campground. Once we set up camp, we made our way to the main Visitor Center, which was well worth the stop. It had a newly updated park film, an informative mini museum, a decent gift shop, and of course more amazing rangers. Although it was a bit crowded, it's great to see people out and about exploring nature. I originally planned to hike the Skagit River Loop but one of the rangers recommended Ross Lake Dam Trail instead. Despite it being a little bit of a detour, I pivoted, and it was worth it! The hike down to the dam was serene, scenic, and less crowded. For dinner, we tried to get into the restaurant next to Mondo Restaurant, but it was packed!!! Luckily, Mondo came through with great food and hectic yet welcoming service. We wrapped up the evening back at Newhalem Campground. There was a fire ban in place during our visit (no campfires!) but otherwise, the campground was peaceful and perfect for me for a good night's rest. The next morning, we woke up really early to tackle the iconic Maple Pass Loop and WOW. From start to finish, the hike was epic. The wildflowers were blooming, the views were jaw-dropping, and we lucked out with light crowds. Although it's rated hard on AllTrails, I'd say it leans more moderate if you're an experienced hiker. Either way, it's a can't miss trail and an absolute highlight of the trip for me. After our hike, we headed over to Mazama (remote and worth the visit!) before continuing our journey via ferry to Stehekin. One note: the NPS Visitor Center in Stehekin is completely closed for the 2025 season, which was a letdown but it didn't take away from the beauty of the area. I'll be posting separate reviews for the rest of our trip! All in all, North Cascades lives up to the hype and then some. It's wild, remote, and breathtakingly beautiful. The National Parks truly are America's Best Idea, and I hope everyone gets a chance to experience their awe-inspiring landscapes, rich history, and cultural significance. Onward to parks #62 and #63!!!

Arrived at 8:30am on a Saturday and the parking lot was mostly empty (less than 10 cars). Bathrooms…read moredon't lock but I was still able to use it by having someone stand in front of it for me. Trail is rocky, muddy and there are many stream crossings. Crampons/micro-spikes are needed if you want to walk around the lake, the snow is compact and icy too.

A gorgeous lake hike during any season :) Come in the winter for some amazing snow, or the summer…read morefor an amazing shimmery lake and a backdrop. This hike is pretty moderate - so maximum reward for not much effort :D

This hike is very intense but very pretty. The beginning part of the hike is full of switchbacks in…read morea wooded area. Then, you cross through an overgrown thicket that may contain stinging nettles. There are lots of files and bugs during this part. After the thicket is another wooded area with a couple of streams running through the path (but there are bridges so you're shoes probably won't get wet). Towards the end of this section, there is a fork in the road that is kind of hard to see. One path takes you to the lookout tower and the other takes you to mirror lake, where you can call overnight with a permit. If you're going to the tower, the next area you'll walk through is the spectacular Alpine meadow full of flowers and the beginnings of views of the surrounding mountains. After that the remainder of the hike until the top is relatively short. There is a lookout tour at the top that you can climb and view all the surrounding mountains and foothills, such as Mt Baker and Mt pilchuck. The hike took me (a semi novice hiker) and my friends 4 hours to get to the top and 3 hours getting down (going downhill is tricky because it's very steep, and you'll probably be tired). This hike is super hard and long but worth it for the view, at least for me.

Nice little waterfall in North Cascades with great views of the water…read more The water here is unlike anything I've ever seen. Super green and beautiful. We walked to the overlook, and it had a decent view of the waterfall. Much better views if you walk over to the bridge and look from the walkway there. If you want, there's also a trail that walks along the water. We didn't take it, so can't vouch for it. Overall, it's worth a quick stop to take in the surrounding beauty.

One more great spot to admire the fabulous beauty as you travel through North Cascades National…read morePark. There's plenty of parking at the trailhead, and another lot on the other side of the bridge. They have great pedestrian walks on either side of the bridge from which to admire the falls and the gorge. Once you've finished there head to the trail from the parking lot. There are fabulous viewpoints along the paved section of the trail from which to take in the crazy blue waters of the Gorge Lake below. The paved section is short (.3 mile) but very pretty and ends at the dam viewpoint. You can continue on, however, onto the unpaved path for 1/2 a mile through the trees and loop back to the lot. The unpaved section is still very easy and quite lovely...so why not loop! I found this short trail, coupled with the falls, to be a great stop. Don't miss it as you pass through!

Difficulty: Easy Time: 15 minutes…read more Gear: Nike free runs, North face backpack Group: 3 People Temp: 85F (+/-) Bear lake (summer): So obviously a car full of grown men got lost and stumbled up on this trailhead instead of Pilchuck. The road to this trailhead gets very rocky with a lot of pot holes so please be careful. I don't advise bringing a nice car - use a car that's meant for these dirt, rough terrain roads. The drive there is deep as you ascend up the mountain by car and park on the side of the road. Immediately you'll see a large sign to help guide you. The hike is very fun with mild elevation gain and a lot of flat ground and natural terrain. You can tell not many people come here. its a very quick 15 minute hike till you get to this beautiful open source lake. Its absolutely gorgeous. There's a spot for a campfire as well. I highly recommend coming here. The trail also splits into a fork; one going to bear lake and the other pinnacle lake. Pinnacle lake is just roughly an hour to an hour thirty minute hike. Do not attempt when it just rained because the trail is muddy and all dirt. Both places are beautiful and a must for anyone that loves hiking There are ALOT of mosquitoes at this time so wear repellant. I would also reccomend some real hiking shoes if you're attempting pinnacle. Its an ankle breaker at some points

We hiked to Cascade Pass and Sahale Glacier and it is probably one of the best but hardest day…read morehikes I've done. I would read the trail reports ahead of time so you know the conditions before heading out. The road to the trailhead is LONG but doable in sedan although it was a bit questionable at times. So just know your vehicle and have a backup plan just in case! As many others have stated the trailhead parking fills up EARLY. We also started early and are glad that we did to try and avoid hiking too much in the sun later in the day. Be sure to bring enough water and food, as especially the combo Cascade Pass + Sahale Glacier hike is loooong, steep, with quite a bit of sun exposure especially after you get to Cascade Pass. We saw goats, pikas, grouse, and loved that! I really just cannot describe the views, it is hard to believe such a beautiful place exists.

Oh yes, yes, yes! I absolutely loved Cascade Pass Trail. For sure it was one of the best hikes…read morehikes I completed during my time at North Cascades National Park. Okay...it was a relatively difficult hike but I knew this ahead of time so I was prepared. I actually afforded myself the entire day to explore so no worries for me....I simply took my time and enjoyed the views. My one and only "grrrr" moment and frustration aspect in regards to this Cascade Pass Trail was the drive to get here. Oh wow...for me, I hate driving on dirt/gravel roads...especially when I'm on vacation. Because...what happens if I have a flat tire? Who's going to rescue me? But...I was so intrigued and wanted to witness what Cascade Pass was all about that I held my breath and bravely drove the rough/bumpy/hard 13 miles along the dirt/gravel road to get here. And once I finally arrived at the parking lot....kaboom! The scenery was smack in my face. The mountains were overwhelming that before I even started hiking....I was off and taking pictures outside the parking lot! How funny. I hung out in the parking lot for a few moments simply to appreciate the mountainside being so close in view. I just knew...I anticipated good things were to come from hiking up to Cascade Pass. Now...when I started at the trailhead...it's not just Cascade Pass that you can venture off to. Even further away was Sahale Glacier which at the last moment I had heard from other hikers along the way offered even better scenery than Cascade Pass. And in fact....the hikers that I passed and or did come in contact with were all headed up and down the trail for overnight camping. Yeah that's offered with a permit. But for me...I was just here for day hiking. So...Cascade Pass Trail is a 7.4 mile round trip hike gaining about 1700 feet in elevation. I knew I'd at least be here half the day. And for those interested in exploring further....checking out Sahale Glacier was a 10.4 mile round trip hike gaining a stunning 3900 feet in elevation. Wow...that's crazy 3900 feet! Okay so Cascade Pass was good enough for me. I'd say a good portion of the first part of the hike was obviously uphill and through a lot of switchbacks up the mountain. But eventually...the forest finally parted away and then the views got serious...seriously good! I'd say about halfway up the mountain scenery turned dramatically. I was so high up and level with the shear faced cliff walls...I had to stop often to take photographs! Also, I visited on a relatively dreary/cloudy day. But actually, this was good...because along my way up the trail...I was walking parallel to the clouds...and in perspective...it sort made my photos with the clouds shifting in and out of the background quite dramatic! I appreciated having some clouds. Who would have thought? But yeah, continuing on....I can't say it enough that the dramatic background and valley views were epic! There was snow in and around various parts of the jagged terrain. Combined with the clouds continuously shifting....it made for some pretty great "wow" moments. And before too long, I made it to Cascade Pass. Yeah Cascade Pass was pretty much the pinnacle of it all. With the mountains being so up close beside me and the majestic, rugged snow-capped mountains featured in the distance....I felt quite humbled and grateful to be here and in the moment. If I had to compare the views from Cascade Pass....they reminded me of some of the best aspects along hikes at Glacier National Park. And Glacier NP is one of my favorites out there. I ate my lunch here at Cascade Pass, just soaking up the views before heading back down the mountain. I was intrigued to see what Sahale Glacier was all about but I just wasn't mentally prepared to hike an additional 4 miles along with trekking up a lot more elevation...especially when most hikers camp out for the night while at Sahale Glacier. So...I was definitely content with the views and perspectives I received at Cascade Pass. I was ready to hike back down. And on the way down...again the views were so tremendous...that I had to stop for more pictures. Actually, at that point in time most of the clouds had disappeared and I had virtually all of the Cascade Mountains within close viewing range. How cool. This hike and trail was so worthwhile. Finally when I made it back to the bottom and the parking lot in early afternoon, I bravely drove back the 13 mile gravel road into town. I then had a fulfilling dinner at a charming little quaint restaurant called Marblemount Diner. This was a terrific way to end an inspiring day exploring the wondrous mountains and scenery of Cascade Pass Trail.

Completed this hike on a sunny Saturday in June. Arrived at the trailhead at 8:30am and the tiny…read morelot was already full but there was still plenty of parking on the street. I took the lower Elliot loop to the Lake and the upper loop back to the parking lot. Definitely recommend doing it this way because the lower loop has a steady incline and many viewpoints & streams on the way up. The upper loop had more forest & foliage.

Came here on a Sunday morning, arriving to the parking lot around 8:30AM, parking lot was pretty…read morefull but there was plenty of parking space on the road. There's a bathroom at the trailhead. We took upper and came back down on lower, and the trail wasn't too steep either way. The path is pretty much fully under the shade from trees, and there are some views of the mountains here and there. The lake is beautiful with lots of spots to sit, and there were a lot of people camping there. Passed a lot of backpackers with big packs on the way up, saw some hikers as well. Stayed at the lake for a bit of time, and weather was beautiful. Not many bugs around which was good, water wasn't too cold either. Highly recommend, this is one of my favorite lakes in WA so far!

Beautiful park, trails, and scenery !…read more Kid, stroller, and dog friendly Being wet gear because there's multiple areas where you can get in the water . Definitely going back

Beautiful park with waterfalls and accessible trails to enjoy alone or with family and friends. I…read moreloved walking beneath the trees and along the water. It feels like a safe area with lots of people enjoying the outdoors in the summertime.

Didn't go to Lake Serene - just to Bridal Veil Falls. About 4 miles RT and it worth it…read more Going up - lots of steps and rocks. Muddy in certain places. Definitely would go again.

The payoff is definitely worth it for this hike. It gets relatively steep and definitely isn't for…read moreall fitness levels, but the end result is quite nice. Plenty of spots to sit by the water and enjoy lunch. 4 miles roundtrip with 1000 feet of elevation gain.