|
Ross Lake National Recreation Area bisects North Cascades National Park and provides the corridor for the popular North Cascades Scenic Highway (State Route 20).
This scenic route across the Cascade Mountains provides access to hiking trails, nature exhibits, a visitor center and campgrounds.
The Ross Lake area actually encompasses three lakes, Ross, Diablo and Gorge. Ross Lake, 24 miles long and two miles at its widest, covers about 12,000 acres. Diablo Lake is 910 acres and Gorge Lake covers 210 acres.
Boat launches for Gorge and Diablo lakes can be accessed from the North Cascades Highway. The only launch facilities on Ross Lake are at its north end, at Hozomeen, reached by a 39-mile dirt and gravel road from British Columbia, Canada.
Visitors enjoy hiking, boating, canoeing, rock climbing, wildlife and birdwatching, backcountry hiking, horseback riding and rafting.
Permits are required for backcountry camping. Biking is permitted only on roads.
Bald eagles are frequently seen in mid-winter feeding on salmon along the Skagit River between Newhalem and the recreation area boundary near Bacon Creek.
The North Cascades Visitor Center, near Newhalem, provides exhibits, audio-visual programs, a bookstore, trails and ranger-led programs. The park office in Sedro-Woolley also serves as an information station.
The power company Seattle City Light offers boat tours on Diablo Lake during the summer. Call 206-684-3030 for information.
Portions of the highway are closed in winter.
Ross Lake is part of the North Cascades National Park Service Complex. A Northwest Forest Pass is required to park at nearby trailheads on U.S. Forest Service land.
Outdoor Activities |
