North Cascades National Park Complex

North Cascades Fast Facts

How big is North Cascades National Park?

North Cascades covers a total area of 505,000 acres or 789 square miles.

How many people visit North Cascades National Park?

17,855 people visited North Cascades in 2021. A table showing all years can be found at North Cascades Visitation Stats.

When was North Cascades National Park created?

North Cascades was made a national park on October 2, 1968.

What are the highest and lowest elevations in North Cascades National Park?

North Cascades’ lowest point is 605 feet at Goodell Creek. The highest point in North Cascades is 9,206 feet on Goode Mountain.

What time zone is North Cascades National Park located in?

North Cascades is in the Pacific Time Zone.

How much does it cost to enter North Cascades National Park?

There is no entrance fee for North Cascades National Park.

Five Random Facts About North Cascades

one Ross Lake National Recreation Area, Lake Chelan National Recreation Area, and North Cascades National Park were all created in 1968, forming this complex of three NPS units managed as one. Most roads and facilities are actually in the National Recreation Areas.

two There are over 300 glaciers in the North Cascades Park Complex, more than any other park in the lower 48 states.

three The Stephen Mather Wilderness includes about 93% of the North Cascades National Park Service Complex.

four Mammal species found in the North Cascades include 75 species in 21 families. Among these are gray wolves, grizzly bears, black bears, wolverines, river otters, cougars, lynx, and bobcats, along with bats and many smaller animals.

five The major lakes in the park complex were formed by dams and are currently managed by Seattle Power and Light for hydroelectric power.

Where is North Cascades National Park?

North Cascades National Park is located in the northern part of Washington state, running all the way to the international border with British Columbia, Canada. Most of the park’s land is extremely remote and hard to access.

The National Park Service manages the park together with Ross Lake and Lake Chelan National Recreation Areas. Most of the easily visited spots are actually within these areas. The towns of Marblemount to the west and Winthrop to the east are convenient bases for visitors. Further directions and maps can be found at Getting to North Cascades.