North Cascades National Park Boasts More Glaciers Than Switzerland’s Same‑Sized Area

Washington’s big-ticket National Parks get all the love. Mt. Rainier is famously visible from Seattle; Olympic National Park is a bucket-list park for many, but it’s the third of the state’s three National Parks that’s keeping the most spectacular secrets. Not many people have even heard of North Cascades National Park, but this rugged, secluded northern wilderness boasts more glaciers than Switzerland’s same-sized area. And its 40,000 annual visitors — the seventh-least of any National Park! — will tell you this unsung star is more than worth the trek.

Basics & Geography of North Cascades National Park

For all that North Cascades National Park feels like a world apart, it’s actually not nearly as remote as you might imagine. At under three hours by car from Seattle to the south or Vancouver to the north, it’s fairly accessible from its nearest major cities. But you wouldn’t know it. North Cascades National Park is almost as far north as you can get and still be in the continental United States, closer to the border with Canada than with any other state.

Fittingly, then, North Cascades National Park showcases a variety of classic Pacific Northwest ecosystems. The park protects the Cascade Crest, a swath of the Cascade Range mountains where diverse ecosystems map onto variable elevations. Often fondly referred to as the “American Alps,” the Cascades are characterized by steep, snow-capped mountain peaks, vast evergreen boreal forests, extensive glaciation, and spectacularly rugged vistas.

You wouldn't be remiss in comparing the scenery to a postcard of the Swiss Alps. From towering slate-grey peaks with snowcaps to stunningly green alpine lakes. This park has many of the features that make Switzerland's natural beauty so iconic - but with a higher density of glaciers than you can find in any same-sized swath of Switzerland!

No single photograph can properly convey what North Cascades National Park has to offer. On the windward sides of its mountain peaks, you’ll find lush temperate rainforest. On the rain-parched leeward sides, dry forests of ponderosa pine are adapted to the “rain shadow” effect that keeps their side of the mountain from getting much moisture. Subalpine meadows resplendent with wildflowers call to mind postcard photographs of bucolic Swiss landscapes. And, of course, North Cascades National Park is home to more glaciers than anywhere else in the continental United States.

That’s because North Cascades National Park is one of the snowiest places in the United States — or anywhere else. Glaciers form when snow doesn’t melt with the changing season but instead becomes compressed, so the deep snowpack in this region lends itself to this kind of glacial activity. And as those glaciers inch downhill, they carve the landscape into the myriad forms we see today. If you chance upon a stunning turquoise lake surrounded by high cliff walls — and this park has plenty of those! — you can be sure that a glacier was responsible.

But it isn’t only glaciers that make this landscape so dynamic. It’s also located at the confluence of two tectonic plates, which means that it’s a hotspot for seismic and volcanic activity. Millions of years ago, those colliding plates pushed up the jagged mountain peaks we see today. But they’re not done shaping this landscape yet, and the North Cascades are ever-shifting. This park’s fascinating geology is still little-understood, but geologists consider it to be some of North America’s most fascinating.

Park History

North Cascades National Park’s history may have begun millions of years ago with a collision of tectonic plates, but its more recent history fills a much smaller span of time. 8,500-plus years of human habitation may seem like a lot, but it’s got nothing on the geologic time that prepared these rich ecosystems to benefit the Pacific Northwest indigenous peoples who utilized them. Later settlers also saw the bounty this land had to offer, beginning with fur trappers in the 19th century and later when mining prospectors moved into the area.

That said, it was decades yet before anyone started to think that perhaps the park’s scenic and ecological resources were as precious as its saleable commodities. And even when they did, loud coalitions of protesters argued that protecting the land from extraction efforts was a waste of its rich timber and mineral resources.

These debates date back to the 1890s, when proponents of conservation in the area proposed the creation of a federally-managed preserve. From the beginning, these proposals were met with resistance from those who had interests in the potentially-lucrative mining and lumber industries and decried the loss of economic opportunity that preserving the area as a wilderness would entail. However, by 1968, the conservation argument won out, and North Cascades National Park was established.

Unique Natural Features

There are few American landscapes like that of North Cascades National Park outside of Alaska. True Alpine landscapes are exceedingly rare in the Lower 48, and the distinctive jagged peaks of the Cascades create striking scenery found almost nowhere else. All of that alone would make North Cascades National Park a worthy destination. But what’s really unparalleled about this park is its extensive glaciation.

There are plenty of U.S. National Parks where you can see the evidence of glaciers in motion. During the previous Ice Age, much of North America was under ice, and the retreat of those glaciers as they moved and melted carved out valleys, glacial lakes, and other geological features. But nowhere else outside of Alaska can you see so many glaciers still intact.

That said, you won’t glimpse those glaciers without some serious trekking. Unlike parts of Alaska and Colorado, where glaciers are accessible by road or by sea, none of North Cascades National Park’s 300-plus glaciers are. To catch sight of the glimmering blue ice of a glacier, you’ll have to trek on foot through the North Cascades, and the reward for your efforts will be like nothing else you can find in this part of the country.

But even those who never set their eyes on a glacier rely on them: inhabitants of the surrounding regions rely on millions of tons of glacial meltwater every year for their agricultural and hydration needs. North Cascades National Park is far from a wilderness apart: its fate is deeply intertwined with that of the people who call northern Washington home.

Things to Do

North Cascades National Park is huge, and its component North and South sections are separated by the much more easily-accessible (and popular) Ross Lake Recreation Area. In order to experience the best of the park’s rugged beauty, you have to be willing to lace up your hiking boots or do some paddling. But worry not: there’s a park activity for every interest and wilderness skill level. It's best to visit between May and early October; some of the park's amenities close at the end of summer, and parts of the park will be inaccessible due to snow later in the fall and winter.

Camping is a popular option in the summer months, when six campgrounds along the main road through the park are open to reservations. You’ll want to get your spot booked well in advance, but camping is a great way to connect with the park without necessarily trekking miles into its interior. More adventurous campers can also try “boat-in camping” at campsites that are only reachable by canoe or kayak. Numerous backcountry camping locations are also permitted as overnight stops for longer treks.

If day hikes are more your speed than overnight treks, though, there are plenty to be had here. The Thunder Knob trail is an easy 3.6-mile hike culminating in beautiful views of the turquoise waters of Diablo Lake. The 3.7-mile Cascade Pass Trail is a good choice if you want glacier views without trekking too far into the backcountry. Those who have little time but lots of stamina might want to try the difficult 7-mile Easy Pass Trail, which climbs a steep path to a panoramic mountain view.

If you’re not into hoofing it, multiple of the park complex’s lakes have boat launches for kayaking, canoeing, and motorboating. Ross Lake and Lake Chelan offer rentals, while more remote Diablo Lake and Gorge Lake do not — so if you want solitude, be prepared to B.Y.O.B. (bring your own boat). Fishing is also excellent in the park, with the Skagit River boasting an impressive abundance of popular species. Keep in mind that you will need to obtain a fishing license before your visit.

North Cascades National Park doesn’t exactly have great name recognition, but a simple online search will show you exactly why it should make your bucket list anyway. Those seeking subarctic solitude a comfortable drive from some of North America’s largest urban areas need look no further. You’ll get the distinction of being one of the relative few who discover this park’s natural splendor every year — those are the kind of bragging rights we think are well worth having.