North Cascades National Park — Visitor Info

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North Cascades is one of the least-visited parks in the Lower 48 despite sitting just a few hours from Seattle — a landscape of jagged peaks, glaciers, and over 300 lakes. There's no entrance fee here at all, but the remote village of Stehekin is reachable only by boat, floatplane, or trail, and backcountry camping requires a permit year-round. Here's what to know before you go.

Page content last verified: July 2026

Check current conditions before you go: the North Cascades Highway (SR 20) closes every winter due to avalanche danger and typically doesn't reopen until spring — always check the official North Cascades Alerts & Conditions page first.
Quick Facts
Location
Sedro-Woolley, Washington
Entrance Fee
None
Reservation Needed to Enter?
No
Permit Needed For
Backcountry camping (year-round)
Stehekin Access
Boat, floatplane, or trail only — no road access
Nearby Trailheads
Many require a separate Northwest Forest Pass (USFS land)

Visitor Centers

Tap a visitor center for its official NPS hours & facility info.

North Cascades Visitor Center (Newhalem)
On SR 20 near milepost 120, next to Newhalem Creek Campground — the park's main visitor center, with exhibits and a theater.
Wilderness Information Center (Marblemount)
Just off SR 20 near Marblemount — the main backcountry permit office for the park and adjacent recreation areas. Outdoor self-issue station available when the office is closed in winter.
Golden West Visitor Center (Stehekin)
Near the passenger ferry landing at Stehekin, on Lake Chelan. Reached only by ferry, floatplane, or trail — not accessible by road vehicle.

Hours vary seasonally, and some facilities close in winter — confirm current hours on the official NPS hours page before you go.

Fees & Passes

There is no entrance fee to North Cascades National Park Service Complex. A few related fees do apply:

  • Northwest Forest Pass: $5/day or $30/year — required at many adjacent U.S. Forest Service trailheads (not required on NPS land itself)
  • Lake Chelan Dock Permit: $10/day or $75/year — required for boaters using docks in the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area, May 1–October 31
  • Camping and backcountry permit fees: see Campgrounds & Permits sections below

Note: Washington's state Discover Pass is not valid on any federal land, including North Cascades.

Every Kid Outdoors — Free 4th Grade Pass

Since North Cascades has no entrance fee, this pass doesn't apply here directly — but it's worth grabbing at everykidoutdoors.gov for other fee-charging federal sites on the same trip.

Permits & Reservations

You do not need a permit to enter the park or day-hike NPS trails. You do need one for:

Backcountry Camping

A wilderness permit is required year-round for every overnight backcountry stay, available at the Wilderness Information Center in Marblemount (or a self-issue station when it's closed). Limited advance reservations are available for some backcountry campsites.

Campgrounds & RV Options

All drive-in campgrounds sit along State Route 20 and are reservable through recreation.gov during the operating season (mid-May through early September); some open earlier or stay open later on a first-come, first-served basis. There's no dispersed camping anywhere in the park complex. Fees change year to year — use the link below for current pricing.

Newhalem Creek Campground
Close to the town of Newhalem, the main Visitor Center, and the Skagit River. Reservation via recreation.gov during the operating season.
Gorge Lake Campground
On Gorge Lake, next to Stetattle Creek. Reservation via recreation.gov during the operating season.
Goodell Creek Campground
Old-growth forest on the Skagit River. 19 sites. The only campground that stays open year-round outside the reservation season — first-come, first-served, no fee, no water or trash service in the off-season. A separate Lower Goodell Creek Group Campground accommodates larger groups.
Colonial Creek Campground (North & South)
Remote but busy, in old-growth forest with trail and lake access on Diablo Lake. Reservation via recreation.gov during the operating season.
Hozomeen Campground
Remote, at the north end of Ross Lake near the Canadian border — no fee. Reached by trail or boat, not directly from SR 20 within the U.S.
Stehekin Campgrounds
A range of settings from lakeside sites to quiet roadside camps, reachable only by ferry, floatplane, or trail — no vehicle access from outside the park. No RV camping possible given the access.
Boat-In Camping
Available on Ross Lake, Diablo Lake, and Lake Chelan — boat access only, no RVs.

No RV hookups exist anywhere in the park complex. Camping is limited to 14 days from July 1 through Labor Day, 30 days the rest of the year. Firewood, gas, and other services aren't available in-park — the nearest services are in Marblemount.

Good to Know

  • No park-wide shuttle: SR 20 (the North Cascades Highway) is the main road through the park and closes every winter due to avalanche risk.
  • Stehekin is remote: reaching it takes real planning — ferry, floatplane, or a multi-day hike, with no through-road.
  • Cell service: unreliable to nonexistent through most of the park.
  • Bears: active throughout the park — store food properly in bear-resistant containers where required.

More National Parks

See our other National Park visitor guides, or browse the full National Parks guide.

Fees, campground reservation windows, and highway opening/closing dates change from year to year. This page is a starting point for trip planning — always confirm current details on the official North Cascades National Park site before you go.

Sources: NPS – Fees & Passes · NPS – Visitor Centers & Ranger Stations · NPS – Backcountry Permits · NPS – Camping · NPS – Current Conditions & Alerts