North Cascades National Park Service Complex

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North Cascades National Park Service Complex

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North Cascades National Park Service Complex protects 750 square miles of jagged peaks, deep valleys, cascading waterfalls, and glaciers.

We welcome your comments and hope that our conversations here will be courteous. You are fully responsible for the content of your comments. We do not discriminate against any views, but we reserve the right to delete any of the following:

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Communication made through this service’s e-mail and/or messaging system will in no way constitute a legal or official notice or comment to the U.S. Department of the Interior (or bureau) or any official or employee of the U.S. Department of the Interior (or bureau) for any purpose. References to commercial entities, products, services, or nongovernmental organizations or individuals are provided solely for information. These references are not intended to reflect the opinion of U.S. Department of the Interior (or bureau), the United States Government, or its officers or employees concerning the significance, priority, or importance to be given the referenced entity, product, service, or organization. Such references are not an official or personal endorsement of any product, person, or service and may not be quoted or reproduced for the purpose of stating or implying U.S. Department of the Interior (or bureau) endorsement or approval of any product, person, or service. Reporters or other media representatives are asked to send questions through their normal channels (the appropriate DOI/bureau office public affairs or communications office) and to refrain from submitting questions here as comments. Reporter questions may be removed. This Comment Policy is subject to amendment or modification at any time to ensure that its continued use is consistent with its intended purpose as a limited forum. For official information about the U.S. National Park Service, please visit http://www.nps.gov/.

10/14/2026

This time of year is a popular time to go fishing in the park complex! We sent an email to the salmon on when they planned on swimming upriver but we didn't get a respawnse.

The Skagit River, one of Washington’s major watersheds, is home to all five native salmon species: Chinook, Coho, Sockeye, Pink, and Chum. It's also home to steelhead, cutthroat trout, freshwater trout, and char. The Stehekin River also supports rainbow and cutthroat trout, among other species.

If you are planning on fishing in the North Cascades, make sure you have your Washington State fishing license and know the regulations of the area you plan to fish. More information on fishing in the park complex can be found at https://www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/fishing.htm.

NPS Photo

10/10/2026

Today is the last day the Wilderness Information Center in Marblemount is open this year!

A permit is required for backcountry camping year-round. After October 10, 2026, self-issue permits are available outside the Wilderness Information Center in Marblemount or via email at [email protected].

Information about trail and backcountry camp closures due to wildfires is on our website. Self-issued permits cannot be made for closed areas. https://www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/fire-closures.htm

For trip planning information check out the Wilderness Trip Planner on our website. https://www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/wilderness-trip-planner.htm

NPS Photo

10/09/2026

News Release: Prescribed Burn Planned at North Cascades National Park Service Complex to Improve Habitat and Reduce Wildfire Risk

The National Park Service and the U.S. Wildland Fire Service are preparing for prescribed pile burns in Ross Lake and Lake Chelan national recreation areas throughout October and November, conditions and staffing permitting.

The burn piles consist of brush, logs and branches from fire suppression activities on the Border 2 and Sisi fires. Fire managers will conduct the burns when conditions are favorable and the potential for fire to spread beyond the pile footprint is low.

For the full news release visit https://www.nps.gov/noca/learn/news/prescribed-burn-planned-at-north-cascades-national-park-service-complex-to-improve-habitat-and-reduce-wildfire-risk.htm.

NPS Photo

10/06/2026

Trail, camp, and area closure update: Some closures have been lifted for the Sisi Fire. Up-to-date fire closure information can be found on the Fire Closures page https://go.nps.gov/fc.

Stehekin businesses are open and continue to welcome visitors outside of the closure areas.

10/02/2026

58 years of jagged peaks, turquoise lakes, and hundreds of glaciers — and North Cascades National Park Service Complex is still reaching new heights. ✨

Did you know that was established as a national park on October 2, 1968?

Happy birthday to an absolute icon: North Cascades National Park, known as the “American Alps” and one of the wildest and most rugged landscapes in the country. Here’s to protecting its magic for the next 58 years. 💚

📷: Laura Lango

10/01/2026

It's time for larch madness! The golden hues of the larch (tamarack) trees in the higher elevations of the park draw in photographers, hikers, and lovers of trees from far and wide.

If you're visiting the park complex or are on any of the highways in the Cascade Mountains this weekend, be prepared for crowds as well as beauty! While driving on State Route 20, be aware of pedestrians and traffic pulling into the road and know that many trailheads fill by 9 am or earlier.

Be patient, be safe, and enjoy the fall spectacle of North Cascades larches.

NPS Photos

09/25/2026

The North Cascades Visitor Center in Newhalem closes for the season on September 27, 2026 at 5pm. In person visitor services will resume in May 2027.

The Wilderness Information Center in Marblemount remains open daily from 7am to 11:30am and 12:30pm to 4pm until October 10, 2026.

The Forest Information Center and Park Administrative Headquarters building in Sedro-Woolley is open year-round but hours and days may vary.

The rest of the park complex remains open year-round.

For current hours, visit https://www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/hours.htm

NPS Photo

09/15/2026

It's starting to feel more like early fall across the North Cascades. Alpine vegetation is changing colors, with more frequent rain and shorter days.

Conditions can change quickly in the North Cascades. Rangers recently reported several inches of fresh snow above 7,000 feet, so be prepared for cool, wet weather if you plan to venture to high elevations. At the same time, fires are still active in areas of the park and smoky conditions are possible. The shorter and cooler days tell animals to get ready for winter, so bears are especially focused on getting enough calories to survive. If you see a bear actively foraging on berries or insects, give them plenty of space.

Be diligent about storing your food in an IGBC approved canister or bear locker. If a bear approaches you on the trail or at camp, make lots of noise and keep your packs nearby. Report close encounters to NPS staff. Keep wildlife alive and well by keeping your distance and storing your scented items properly. When given the opportunity to eat human food, habituation can occur and result in harm to the animal. Be a part of the prevention, not the problem.

For more information about current conditions, check https://www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/trail-conditions.htm.

NPS Photo

09/08/2026

North Cascades National Park Service Complex is recruiting campground host and visitor center volunteers for the 2027 season!

We are seeking energetic and friendly volunteers to serve as campground hosts. Campground volunteer opportunities include the option to be "residential" (on-site) hosts in either Newhalem Creek Campground or Colonial Creek Campground, or "alternate" hosts which rotate through the various campgrounds to cover the days off of residential hosts.

Visitor Center Volunteers greet visitors, answer questions about the park, and rove trails and overlooks to assist park visitors with orientation, information, and interpretation of the park.

Volunteers work 32 hours per week over four days (including holidays and weekends when needed) with 3 consecutive days off each week. Volunteers are required to wear the National Park Service volunteer uniform at all times while on duty (shirts and hats provided). Volunteer campsites are provided. Volunteers are strongly recommended to bring a trailer/RV or self-contained unit. Positions will begin in early May with training on park resources and operations and last through mid-September.

Visit volunteer.gov and search North Cascades to apply.

09/01/2026

Are you hoping to camp in the park complex this month?

Campground reservations are required through September 6, 2026. Starting September 7, 2026 all sites will be first-come, first-served as long as the campgrounds are open.

How long are the campgrounds open?

⛺Colonial Creek North Campground, Colonial Creek South Campground and Loop C of Newhalem Creek Campground will close on September 14, 2026.

⛺Loops A & B of Newhalem Creek Campground will close on September 27, 2026.

What if I want to camp later in the fall or the winter?

⛺Goodell Creek and Gorge Lake Campgrounds remain open year-round as well as ten walk-in, tent-only sites in Colonial Creek South Campground. Potable water and trash services are not available after September.

For more information visit https://www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/camping.htm

NPS Photo

Address

810 State Route 20
Sedro-Woolley, WA
98284

Telephone

+13608547200

Website

http://www.nps.gov/noca/index.htm

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