Views are limited until you break the tree line although you’ll get the odd peek at those stunning snow capped mountains along the way. nps.gov/noca the Payoff: North Cascades' perfect weekend. It’s a pretty forest and it’s very quiet and peaceful. The view from the car park is reason enough to visit this part of the park but you’ll have to tear yourself away and head into the woods.

We’re assuming that like most people you’re visiting when the days are longer so you can start hiking late afternoon with a bit of a warm up on the Cascade Pass.ĭespite having a fair amount of elevation gain this track uses reasonably gentle switchbacks (albeit around 35 of them!) to get you to the top so as Washington hikes go it isn’t too difficult. Our itinerary kicks off in the afternoon.īest things to do in 24 hours at North Cascades Camping will get you closer to the trails. There are a couple of places to stay in Marblemount (check the end of the blog for our recommendations) or you can camp. It takes a while to get to North Cascades National Park (it’s a two hour drive from Seattle), so - unless you want a really early start and a whole lot of hiking in a single day - we recommend staying overnight. Whilst the Maple Pass Loop and Cascades Pass Trail may look close together, they are actually a two hour drive apart! It’s also worth noting that hikes such as the Cascades Pass are in a separate part of the park (and is a long way away from the rest!). The majority of hikes and viewpoints are along one road (Highway 20) but gems like the Maple Pass Loop are an hour from the nearest accommodation (unless you’re camping) at Marblemount - which is at the very edge of the park. Planning your trip to North Cascades National Park

Easy pass trail north cascades