Jagged peaks
Snow and ice.
alusch — CC BY-SA 2.0 · alusch — CC BY-SA 2.0 · ImagePerson — CC BY 4.0 · alusch — CC BY-SA 2.0 · alusch — CC BY-SA 2.0
North Cascades National Park covers more than 200,000 hectares of the North Cascades Range in Washington State, close to the Canadian border, and its centre lies about 29 km in a straight line north-east of the small town of Marblemount. The Skagit River and the reservoirs of Ross Lake National Recreation Area split it into northern and southern units. The park holds the most extensive glacier system in the contiguous United States, the headwaters of many rivers and vast forests with the highest plant diversity of any American national park. Skagit peoples lived in the region long before European American explorers arrived. Jagged granite peaks streaked with snow and ice rise above deep green valleys, boulder fields and mossy old-growth forest. The North Cascades Highway follows the Skagit valley past turquoise lakes in the neighbouring recreation area, and hiking trails climb to high alpine meadows. There is no entrance fee. Part of the highway usually closes in winter, so July to September is the best time to visit, and mountain weather changes quickly, so bring layers.
Snow and ice.
Draped in moss.
Along the highway.
Northern Washington State, United States
No.
July to September.