The Ultimate North Cascades National Park Itinerary (Map Included)

As far as National Parks go the North Cascades National Park is supremely underrated and under-visited. Unless you’re an avid hiker with the good fortune of being borne in the Pacific Northwest you may not have even heard of this National Park.

Cutting a jagged border across the Northern half of Washington this mountain range is filled to the brim with hiking trails that snake through the emerald forests toward the last remnants of blue glaciers and piercing grey peaks with snow-capped tops. The scenery here is unreal. & for the most part easily accessible. 

You’ll begin {& end} your tour on Highway 20 as it snakes its way right through the heart of the park. Planning your North Cascades National Park itinerary ahead of time is important since there is very little cell service once you get inside the park. Here’s what you need to know.

Weather in the North Cascades

Let’s be honest here. The Pacific Northwest can be a dreary damp place. The North Cascades is no different. But the misty rainy mountains get this other-worldly feel as the clouds seep through the trees and the moody weather really just adds to the overall experience. & this isn’t just my inner grungy Seattleite talking.

Here’s what you can expect from each season in the National Park.

The Perfect Itinerary for Your Epic North Cascades National Park Road Trip

Ross Dam Trail

Trail Length: 11.8 Miles Total – Out & Back

This is one of the most popular trails in the park. Get here early if you want to find a place to park. When we passed the trailhead on Labor Day weekend there were cars lining both sides of the road for nearly half a mile. But this is a real hike. Not too difficult, only gaining 1700ft of elevation total but it makes for a perfect long inclined walk through some of the beautiful forests you expect on your North Cascades National Park itinerary.

Diablo Overlook & Ross Lake Overlook

Two very similar viewpoints. The electric blue water of Diablo & Ross lake are some of the most iconic landmarks in the North Cascades National Park. Both overlooks are simple pullouts off highway 20 and clearly marked. 

Secret Path at Diablo Overlook: Tucked between the bathrooms in the diablo lake overlook parking lot you’ll find a pile of rocks blocking a small dusty footpath between the trees. If you climb over these rocks and down the path you’ll be led to an open and guardrail free vantage point of the lake below. Just don’t get to close to the edge in your haste to get a good photo. 

Washington Pass Overlook 

As far as viewpoints go this one was my favorite. A .5-mile paved loop takes you atop rocky outcroppings that overlook the valley floor far below and give you prime views of the jagged peaks opposite you. It’s one of those dramatic pictuesque scenes you come to love from the North Cascades. 

Rainy Pass (Lake) Trail 

Trail Length: 2 Miles Total – Out & Back (to the lake)

This is probably the most popular hike in the park. Partially because of the views but also because it’s nothing crazy in length or difficulty. To just reach the lake you’ll walk one mile from the trailhead clockwise. But the best way to complete the hike it to start with counterclockwise and complete the full-loop. It takes around 3.5 hours to finish and you’ll begin with the more difficult part of the trail. 

Blue Lake Trail 

Trail Length: 5.3 Miles total Out & Back

This is one of the heavier trafficked trails in the National Park (& it’s even dog friendly) because it’s an easy day-hike. Only gaining around 1000ft in elevation before you reach the crisp blue lake at the foot of the mountains. The scenery is lovely & the lake is the perfect place for a lunch break.

More Must-See Stops ~Nearish~ the Park

The borders of the park are a bit ambiguous. The mountains don’t stop and start at the beginning of the National Park, only a section of the range is technically within the boundaries of the National Park. But most other hikers I met were planning on adding either one or both of the stops below to their Cascades National Park itinerary. 

Artist Point 

This is the end of the road. Literally. If you’re coming from Seattle, Artist Point is a 2.5-hour drive up a winding road surrounded on all sides by snowy peaks. Mt. Baker, Mount Larrabee, & Goat Mountain are clearly visible from this elevation and several short trails like Artist Point Loop (1 mile) and Table Top Mountain (2.2 Miles) give you the best panoramic views of your surroundings. 

Another great spot to watch the sunset is Picture Lake. The near-perfect reflection on the water is at prime viewing on a clear evening when the sky starts to color. The drive from here to artist point is only about 15-20 minutes so you’ll be able to see both during sunset if you time it right.

See Artist Point at sunset. Sunrise is beautiful, but it’s got nothing on sunset. Just trust me. 

To get back on track to highway 20, you’ll need to backtrack an hour at least but the extra effort is worth it. & if you’re doing this road trip vanlife style like us, the Artist Point parking lot seemed to be a popular spot to set up camp. This way you get to see both sunset & sunrise over the landscape. 

Best Long Hike: Chain Lakes. This is an 8-mile looping trail that’s wildly popular on the weekends. 

Cascade Pass Trail 

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Another detour from the main route, this was my absolute favorite hiking destination in the entire National Park. Because, yes, technically this hike is within the bounds of the NP, just the road to get there is not. 

23 long miles up a road that turns to washboard dirt about 10 miles in, you’ll find yourself at the base of the Johannesburg glacier. From there you depart on the Cascade Pass Trail. It’s an out & back trail that you are free to tailor to your hiking ability.

For 3.6 miles the trail is meandering slowly climbing up the pass climaxing in views overlooking the Cascade Pass itself. This portion of the trail is suitable for children and beginner hikers. You can then continue on with a strenuous uphill climb for a mile to Douglass Lake, a stunning emerald eye of a lake sitting in the valley of the mountains. Another 1.5-miles along the Sahale Arm guides you along the ridge of the peaks to the base of the Sahale Glacier. This portion of the trail is difficult and involves a bit of rock scrambling. 

Many hikers back-woods camp along this trail instead of heading back the same day. For those kinds of hikers, you can continue on all 31 miles to the town of Stehekin if that floats your boat. 

My Hiking Recommendation: I wouldn’t stop before Douglass Lake. This makes the round-trip hike 9.2 miles and gives you the best views of the glaciers, the lake, and the jagged peaks of Cascade Pass. 

Where to Camp In North Cascades National Park

There are plenty of campsites all throughout the National Park but if you REALLY want the very best spots to camp…. Van Life is the way to go. Or backcountry camping if you’re real outdoorsy.

What is Backcountry Camping? This is where you hike all your belongings along the trail with you & camp without amenities in the middle of the wilderness. The North Cascades have plenty of trails where you can backwoods camp but you should be prepared with bear spray and the proper equipment before you give it a go.

USA road trips can be expensive. Most campsites charge $20-30 per night for tent camping and RVs parks can charge even more. So before our big USA road trip, we built a van.

& then we perfected the art of stealth camping. Both inside national parks and smack dab in the middle of major cities. So, be sure to check out our full post on stealth camping in your van for all our tips.

We parked at the summit of Artist Point, the base of the Johannesburg Glacier at Cascade Pass, and at the Diablo Lake Overlook during our time in the park and we’re rewarded with ‘free’ camping & the best views for our morning cup of coffee.

If you want to build your very own DIY campervan be sure to check out my blog post on 8 mistakes that beginners often make when building their camper van.

If you opt for tent camping sites make sure to reserve them ahead of time & check out the National Park website to see which are open during your visit.

Want to Rent an RV or Campervan?

My favorite RV Rental agency is RV Share and they have plenty of options for rentals all over the U.S. This way you can test out vanlife or RV life living for cheap before you commit.

Map for a Perfect North Cascades National Park Itinerary

Our North Cascades National Park Itinerary is the ‘bucketlist’ attractions. The must-see sights that every visitor to the National Park should see on their trip. There are plenty of other hikes and small lookouts or viewpoints that you could add to your itinerary but this is a great place to start.

Enjoy your next road trip through the emerald mountains of the Pacific Northwest.

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