Guide to visiting Washington's North Cascades National Park with kids

They're known as the American Alps, and it doesn't take long in Washington's North Cascades to figure out why.

Rows of jagged mountains cut across an impossibly vast horizon while aquamarine rivers and reservoirs carve deep canyons along scenic State Highway 20.  

Located on the Washington-Canada border, about two and a half hours from Seattle, the North Cascades are somewhat overlooked as a national park — overshadowed by Olympic, Rainier and Crater Lake.

Yet when it comes to sheer alpine splendor, the North Cascades probably surpasses all three with a sweep of mountains and glaciers that feels more like the Rockies than the solitary volcanoes of the Cascades.

North Cascades National Park is a different kind of national park

A visit here can feel a bit challenging, especially if you’re coming with kids.

Instead of one standalone park, with obvious roads leading to the most dramatic spots, the North Cascades has limited development and is part of a complex that includes a national park, a national forest, two recreation areas and a federal wilderness.

It takes some homework to identify the best adventures for your troop’s comfort level. While there are easy and family-friendly adventures, it's also a park that rewards being in good shape. The hikes, which include some of the most beautiful in United States, if not the world, require some lung-busting climbs to be worthwhile.

Here’s a guide to a car camping and family-focused day adventures in the North Cascades, with easy, moderate and more challenging activities highlighted.

Easy access via Washington Highway 20 corridor

Washington Highway 20 through the North Cascades is spectacular in and of itself. On 74 miles from Marblemount (west) to Mazama (in the east), the highway winds through forest, past massive lakes and alpine viewpoints. Campgrounds and numerous trailheads can be accessed off the roadway, which is generally open between spring and late fall but is closed in winter.

Other main roadways include Cascade River Road out of Marblemount that leads to some of the park's most dramatic country.

View of Washington Highway 20 from Washington Pass in the North Cascades.

Gateway town: Marblemount, Washington

If you’re coming from the west — the Seattle area — the gateway town to North Cascades is the small but vibrant community of Marblemount. It features gas stations with groceries and two restaurants, among other amenities. Both restaurants are tasty and stay busy during the peak season.

Base camp: Newhalem Creek and other campgrounds

The park’s bustling visitor’s center and a large campground is located at Newhalem Creek, with Howard Creek Campground just down the road. Both make nice base camps for families. The campsites are pleasant and surrounded by easy-to-reach trails. Marblemount is only 20 minutes away.

There are a total of six campgrounds, each with unique options. If I returned, I’d probably try to book a spot at Colonial Creek North Campground, located on spectacular Diablo Lake and with some beautiful old-growth hikes nearby.

Newhalem Creek Campground at Washington's North Cascades National Park Complex.

What about cell service in North Cascades National Park?

There is good cell service in and around Newhalem, but that's about it. Everywhere else in the park, service is hard to come by.

Easy adventures: Hikes near Newhalem

There’s a collection of pretty and easy hikes around the Newhalem Campground, or just down the road. The Sterling Munro Viewpoint and rocky beaches on the Skagit River are highlights — both begin from the visitor’s center — while the Trail of the Cedars offers beautiful old-growth forest worth exploring.

Ladder Creek Falls is probably the most unique kid-friendly trail in the area. The hike begins at a suspension bridge and centers on a nearly century-old powerhouse that’s part of the Skagit Hydroelectric Project. It showcases a tiered waterfall that blasts through the rock and in the evening is lit by multicolored lights.

All hikes are under 2 miles.

The hike to Ladder Creek Falls showcases a century-old powerhouse and waterfall at Washington's North Cascades National Park Complex.

Easy: Swim, hike, boat and tour Diablo Lake  

The aquamarine color of Diablo Lake, a reservoir surrounded by craggy mountain peaks, is a show-stopper. There are places to swim, hike and explore here beginning at day-use sites and trailheads around Colonial Creek North Campground.

There is day-use parking along Highway 20 that leads to a rocky beach. Many people stop here for a chilly swim and to launch kayaks and stand-up paddleboards to explore the scenic lake.

Diablo Lake in Washington's North Cascades National Park Complex.

In the same area, a popular hike leads up Thunder Creek in old-growth forest and along the cloudy-blue, glacier-fed creek. This is the creek that gives Diablo Lake its striking color. The color of the creek comes from its heavy load of “rock flour,” ground by the many glaciers of its headwaters.

A scenic wood bridge comes after just 2 miles and makes for a good family-friendly out-and-back hike. Backpackable campsites are just beyond.  

Those who plan in advance can take the Diablo Lake Boat Tours, which include lunch, but fill up fast through the North Cascades Institute.

Easy: Visit beautiful alpine Rainy Lake

Want to hike to a spectacular alpine lake without exhausting your crew? Rainy Lake is an excellent option. The hike begins off Highway 20 at popular Rainy Pass Trailhead. The hike is flat and easy, running 2 miles round-trip to a beautiful lake. A number of people carry in stand-up paddleboards or kayaks, and there are a few nice places to swim. The hike starts at Rainy Pass Trailhead, about an hour’s drive from Newhalem.

Rainy Lake comes at the end of an easy 1 mile hike in Washington's North Cascades off Highway 20.

Easy: Spectacular views at Washington Pass on short hike

Massive mountain views surround the short hike from Washington Pass Viewpoint, near the highest point on Highway 20. This is the most bang for your buck, with the 0.25 mile hike showcasing views in every direction.

Moderate: Floating cabins and motor boat rentals on Ross Lake

There are three large reservoirs in the North Cascades corridor — Gorge, Diablo and Ross. Ross Lake offers a unique experience: staying at a resort with floating cabins that can only be reached by boat or hiking. The resort has become a social media sensation, however, and more than 27,000 people put their names in a lottery to stay in the floating cabins, which means odds are not good of getting a night.  

Ross Lake Resort offers a chance to stay overnight in a floating cabin or rent a boat in Washington's North Cascades.

However, it’s also possible to take a unique day-trip adventure to Ross Lake Resort and explore the scenic reservoir, stopping at isolated camps or places to spend the day.

My group of two adults and four kids boated to a small island where the kids spent the afternoon leaping into the water and swimming while we ate a picnic lunch in the shade.

Pulling off a trip takes some work. First, reserve a boat through Ross Lake Resort. I highly recommend a motorboat rather than a kayak or canoe, because of the size of the reservoir and its wind.

On the day of your rental, you drive to the Ross Dam Trailhead and hike a mile to the lakeshore. Use a phone to call the resort for a pickup. Then you’ll be shuttled to the floating reservoir and outfitted with a motorboat. There are a lot of cool places to explore on the long, scenic reservoir. Then, the shuttle brings you back and it’s a 1.1 mile uphill hike back to your car. It’s a full day, but also a lot of fun.

Ross Lake Resort offers a chance to stay overnight in a floating cabin or rent a boat in Washington's North Cascades.

Moderate but spectacular: Cascade Pass, Blue Lake and Lake Ann

With hikes that climb more than 1,000 feet, these hikes aren’t exactly easy, but they’re not killers, either.

Blue Lake and Lake Ann both begin at trailheads in the Rainy / Washington pass area and climb to stunning alpine lakes on trips motivated kids can pull off.

Cascade Pass Trail starts closer to the Marblemount Newhalem area, just off Cascade Pass Road.

Views of Lake Anne off the Maple Pass Loop in Washington's North Cascades.

Difficult but doable: 3 trails that offer some of the most dramatic scenery in the Pacific Northwest

It’s not a stretch to say that these three hikes are among the most spectacular day-trips in the Pacific Northwest. Each are challenging, climbing over 2,000 feet and presenting a significant challenge for most kids (and plenty of adults). But the pain is worth the views for anyone in decent shape.

Maple-Heather Pass Loop begins at Rainy Pass Trailhead (the same as for Rainy Lake and Lake Ann), but climbs steadily uphill on a loop of 7.2 miles with 2,000 feet of climb. Wildflower meadows, alpine lakes and mountain peaks in every direction are your companion on one of the best bang-for-your-buck hikes that I’ve ever been on.

Views from Maple Pass Loop in Washington's North Cascades.

I wasn’t able to make it to the Thornton Lakes or the wildly famous Hidden Lake Lookout — I’ll save them for another time. They’re located closer to Marblemount and as a Google search will confirm, offer some of the most spectacular views you’ll ever find on a day hike.

Staying overnight in the backcountry? Visit the permit office

A permit is required for any overnight stay in the backcountry of the North Cascades Complex. They can be obtained via mail in some cases, or from the permit office in Marblemount (7280 Ranger Station Road, Marblemount, WA., 98267).

Views from Maple Pass Loop in Washington's North Cascades.

Zach Urness has been an outdoors reporter in Oregon for 18 years and is host of the Explore Oregon Podcast. He can be reached at [email protected] or (503) 399-6801. Find him on X at @ZachsORoutdoors and BlueSky at oregonoutdoors.bsky.social.