North Cascades

Cascade Pass

Not to be confused with North Cascades National Park, a national park within this region.

The North Cascades is a region of Washington.

Regions

The North Cascades can be divided into two distinct subregions due to the Cascade Mountains which run north to south across the middle of the region - Northwest Washington and North Central Cascades

Cities

• 1 Anacortes - gateway to the San Juan Islands
• 2 Ellensburg - county seat of Kittias County and home to Central Washington University
• 3 La Conner - home of the Tulip Festival
• 4 Leavenworth - Bavarian themed town in the mountains.
• 5 Mount Vernon - county seat of Skagit County surrounded by tulip fields.
• 6 Bellingham - last US city before Canada on I-5, and county seat of Whatcom County and home to Western Washington University
• 7 Wenatchee - county seat of Chelan County

Other destinations

Mount Shuksan

• 1 Lake Chelan — Ride the Lady of the Lake to the historic and unique town of Stehekin in the heart of Lake Chelan National Recreation Area
• 2 Mount Baker — a ski resort with world-record snowfall in the shadow of a volcano
• 3 North Cascades National Park — Jagged peaks, deep valleys, cascading waterfalls and over 300 glaciers adorn the scenic North Cascades Highway
• 4 Snoqualmie Pass — A ski resort along I-90
• 5 Stevens Pass — A ski resort along US-2

Understand

The Cascades are a mountain range that stretches some 700 miles (1100 km) from British Columbia through central Washington into Oregon. By causing moist Pacific air to drop rain and dry out as it blows into the continent, the Cascades divide Washington state into a wet west and an arid east. The Cascades are tall -- several are above 10,000' (3000m) high, including Mount Baker in this region. Because their valleys are low and the mountains quite steep, many mountains in the Cascades are visually quite striking.

To the west from the Cascades to the coast are lowlands. Interstate 5 (I-5) runs north from Seattle to Vancouver, British Columbia. The Skagit Valley is fertile farmland, overflowing with tulips in the spring. Further north, Bellingham is the last US city before the Canadian border.

The North Cascades region is made up of Chelan, Kittitas, Okanogan, Skagit, and Whatcom counties. The term "North Cascades" sometimes means the mountain chain as far south as Mount Rainier. The Cascades continue south in the Southwest Washington region, then into Oregon and northern California.

Get in

By car

From British Columbia

Interstate 5 and the Peace Arch crossing is the main land port-of-entry to this region of Washington from Canada. However this is only one of five land crossing points between the Lower Mainland region of BC and the Northwest Washington region of Washington. See the Get in — by car section of Northwest Washington region article for details.

By boat

See also: Alaska Marine Highway

	Note: The Sidney-Anacortes ferry service has been suspended and will not resume until at least 2030.
	(Information last updated 01 Mar 2023)

• 1 Alaska Marine Highway System (Alaska State Ferry), Bellingham Cruise & Ferry Terminal at 355 Harris Ave (Next building north of the tracks from Fairhaven.), ☏ +1 800 642-0066. Weekly sailings between Fairhaven and Alaska for passengers and vehicles. (updated Mar 2016)
• Washington State Ferries, ☏ +1 206 464-6400, toll-free: +1-800-843-3779. The Washington State Ferry system offers once or twice daily sailings from Sidney, BC to the San Juan Islands with continuing service to Anacortes. For security and immigration processing when traveling between the US and Canada, a 60-minute advance arrival is strongly suggested for vehicle traffic. Walk-on passengers must arrive 30 minutes in advance. Service to Sidney has been suspended since the Covid-19 pandemic and the operator has announced that service to Sidney is suspended until at least 2030 due to the lack of available ferries and crew. (updated Mar 2023)

By train

See also: Rail travel in the United States

• Amtrak, ☏ +1 215-856-7924, toll-free: +1-800-872-7245. Operates the intercity trains around the United States. (updated Mar 2016) Routes stopping in the region:
  • The Empire Builder starts in Seattle, goes to Edmonds and Everett then heads east towards Spokane through Leavenworth, Wenatchee and Ephrata. In Spokane the train is joined with the other branch coming up from Portland for the eastbound trip (split if going westbound) to Chicago.
  • Amtrak Cascades is a regional train service that goes north from Seattle to Vancouver 2x daily through Edmonds, Everett, Stanwood, Mt Vernon and Bellingham.

By bus

• Greyhound Lines, ☏ +1 214-849-8100, toll-free: +1-800-231-2222. Bus service between Vancouver BC, Bellingham, Mt Vernon, Everett and Seattle. Passenger connect to onward buses to other destinations in Seattle. From Seattle they go east on I-90 towards Spokane through Ellensburg and Moses Lake. (updated Mar 2016)

By plane

The following are airports in or nearest to the North Cascades region of Washington state for commercial passenger flights:

• 2 Bellingham International Airport (BLI ^IATA)has scheduled flights to Seattle, Las Vegas, andHonolulu, through Alaska Airlines. Allegiant Air has service to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Oakland, Palm Springs (seasonal), Phoenix, and San Diego. San Juan Airlines has commuter flights to the island towns of Eastsound, Friday Harbor, Lopez, and Roche Harbor, plus Vancouver, Canada. If traveling with Allegiant Airlines this is the only airport closest to Seattle and Vancouver they offer service to.
• 3 Paine Field (PAE ^IATA), also known as Snohomish County Airport), Everett (about 8.5 miles south of Everett). It is still the location for Boeing's 747 and 777 manufacturing and test flights. As of 2019 a small passenger terminal opened to the public for commercial traffic. It is served by Alaska Airlines, but other airlines may follow suit in time as the terminal and demand expands. The terminal, ranked one of the best regional airports in the world, has a rather cozy design with fireplaces and nice chairs and sofas, and waiter service from the restaurants available throughout the terminal (all two gates of it).  
• 4 Pangborn Memorial Airport (EAT ^IATA). The closest airport to Wenatchee (15 minutes away) and Leavenworth. Most of the airport is for general aviation except the thrice daily commercial flights from Seattle/Tacoma with Alaska Airlines.  
• 5 Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA ^IATA) and 6 Vancouver International Airport (YVR ^IATA), are the next nearest airports with more flights arriving from all parts of the U.S., Canada and other parts of the world.

Get around

By bus

The following are intercity buses that connect Sea-Tac to several cities and towns in the North Cascade regions and for travel between the cities and town in the region as the public transport options offer limited to no intercounty connections.

• BellAir Airporter, (bus stops) Seattle Tacoma International Airport, Washington State Convention Center, Convention Place (prior reservations only), ☏ +1-866-235-5247. Goes up to Stanwood, Burlington/Mt Vernon, Bellingham & Blaine on one route with a separate route to the San Juan Islands ferry in Anacortes on one route, and from Sea-Tac to Cle Elum, Ellensburg & Yakima on another route. Both route originates from Seattle Tacoma International Airport. Pick-up from the Seattle Convention Center by appointment only. 
• Northwestern Stage Lines (Northwest Trailways/Salt Lake City Experss), (bus stops) Greyhound bus depot & King Street Amtrak station, toll-free: +1-800-366-3830. Bus service from Seattle to Spokane via Everett, Stevens Pass, Leavenworth, Wenatchee, George, Moses Lake, Ritzville. Tickets can also be booked with Salt Lake City Express and Megabus. $51 one way to Spokane, $97 round trip. 

• Travel Washington Apple Line (Operated by Northwestern Trailways), (bus stop) Love's Truck Stop @ 1512 US Hwy 97 (Same stop as Greyhound.), ☏ +1 509 838-4029, team@northwesterntrailways.com. goes north from Ellensburg to Omak via Quincy, Pateros, Wenatchee, Okanogan, etc. twice daily along US Hwy 97. See schedules. 

By public transit

Many of the local public transit are limited to the main cities/towns in the counties they serve:

• 7 Skagit Transit. Operates public transportation in and around Mount Vernon, Burlington, Sedro-Woolley and Anacortes in Skagit County. (updated Nov 2024) Notable bus routes include:
  • 40X connects Mount Vernon with March's Point Park & Ride. At March's Point P&R, riders can connect with Island Transit bus route 411W from Whidbey Island and Skagit Transit bus route 410 from Anacortes (route 410 also travels to the ferry terminal to the San Juan Islands)
  • 80X connects Mount Vernon with Bellingham via Chuckanut P&R. Route operated by Skagit Transit and Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA)
  • 90X connects Chuckanut P&R, Mount Vernon and S Mt Vernon P&R, with Everett, where transfers are possible with Sound Transit buses enabling travel from Seattle.
• 8 Link Transit, (office) 300 Columbia Ave (office in the building at 300 Columbia Ave, in the corner of Kittitas & Columbia while the bus transit center & hub is in the upper lot along S Wenatchee between Kittitas & Thurston), ☏ +1 509-662-1155. Offers local bus service in Wenatchee and East Wenatchee and from Wenatchee to Chelan (#21); Leavenworth (#22); Manson (#21); Rock Island (#23); Cashmere (#22 & 28), etc. $1 one zone (local); $2.50 two zones ('intercity'). (updated Feb 2019)
• TranGo (Okanogan County Transit Authority), ☏ +1 509 557-6177. Travel between Okanogan (city), Twisp, Tonasket, and Pateros in Okanogan County. (updated Oct 2024)
• 9 Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA). Operates local buses in Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden, and Lummi Nation Ferry in Whatcom County. Most notable routes for travelers are: (updated Oct 2024)
  • 1 Fairhaven Transportation Center and Downtown Bellinghanm
  • 3 Bellingham Airport and Downtown Bellingham
  • 50 Lummi Nation - Downtown Bellingham
  • 75 I-5 Corridor from Blaine to Downtown Bellingham via Lynden and Ferndale.
  • 80x Bellingham - Alger - Mount Vernon on I-5

By boat

There are a couple of lesser known ferries to nearby islands in Skagit and Whatcom Counties that are county operated and a couple more from Stehikin to Chelan on Lake Chelan:

• Guemes Island Ferry is the other ferry connecting Anacortes to Guemes Island from a different location than the San Juan Ferry. This ferry is operated by Skagit County and is capable of carrying vehicles and passengers.
• Lummi Island Ferry connects the Lummi Nations Peninsula (north of Bellingham Bay from Bellingham) to Lummi Island. This ferry is operated by Whatcom County Public Works Department and is also capable of carrying both vehicle and passengers.
• Lady of the Lake sails across Lake Chelan from Stehekin to Chelan.

By plane

Anacortes airport (OTS ^IATA)

See

Mount Triumph north of Newhalem

Itineraries

The North Cascade Loop is a very scenic drive that loops around this area through pristine mountains, grand rivers, crystalline lakes and scenic islands. If you can't do the loop, at least go as far as Mazama (eastbound) or the visitor center near Newhalem (westbound) on State Hwy 20. Note the most spectacular parts of the drive are not where the highway is sandwiched between the two halves of the national park, but further east in the Okanogan National Forest. The highest point is Washington Pass at 5,477 feet. As the park has virtually no roads, non-hikers should stay on the main highway unless clearly marked signs are visible (such as the visitor center which is about a mile to the south).

Do

Hiking, fishing, white water rafting, skiing, snowshoeing, boating

Eat

Applets and Cotlets

Stay safe

Fuel

After you pass Marblemount on the North Cascades Highway (going eastbound), there is no gas for 70 miles until Mazama. There is also no cell phone coverage (no matter which carrier) from Ross Lake to Mazama. If you need assistance, you'll have to flag down someone with a two-way radio, or obtain a lift.

Avalanches

In the Cascade Mountains (which divide the state into halves) there can be significant snow accumulations during the late fall and winter months. This poses a danger for avalanches whenever these areas experience warm up periods, regardless of how brief they may be. Washington Pass is at an elevation of 5477 ft. (1669 m), and can have snowfall on any day of the year. and mountain passes are sometimes closed for avalanche control and may effect travel plans. Check the Washington State Department of Transportation website for information regarding Avalanche control.

If going into the mountains during winter and early spring months, refer to the Northwest Avalanche Center for current avalanche information.