16 Jul 3 Reasons to Visit North Cascades National Park

I could go on and on about the stellar scenery, variety of hiking options, and beautiful turquoise lakes in North Cascades National Park. However, I am going to take a little bit more of a unique angle in this article. Every national park has scenery and activities to attract visitors, so here we will dive into some more logistical aspects. Keep reading to find out the three main reasons to visit North Cascades National Park on your next trip to the Seattle area.

If you do plan to visit North Cascades National Park, then I have already crafted a one-day itinerary for you. Hint – it includes a hike along the Thunder Creek Trail to the suspension bridge.

Contents:

1) Less Busy Than Other Parks

2) No Entrance Fee

3) Less Than Three Hours From Seattle

1) Less Busy Than Other Parks – Reasons to Visit North Cascades

First up on the list of reasons to visit North Cascades National Park is that it is usually wayyyyyyy less busy than other national parks. You thus will not have to fight for a parking spot or struggle to get a photograph of the scenery without other people photobombing you as often compared to other parks. North Cascades offer a bit more privacy and serenity. 

Did you know that North Cascades National Park is actually one of the least visited national parks in the entire U.S.? Wild, right?! It is absolutely beautiful; I cannot wrap my head around why more people do not make an effort to visit this park. Let us check out some numbers on this, just in case you do not believe me. Do be aware though that the exact number of visitors recorded will differ each year and also generally for each survey, as they often have different measurement metrics.

Visitation Numbers

North Cascades was the eighth least visited national park in the year of 2020. It had only approximately 31,000 visitors. On the other hand, Mount Rainier National Park was the 18th most visited park with over one million visitors. Olympic National Park stood at the ninth most visited park for 2020, for it had over 2.5 million visitors. The difference is HUGE, and all of these parks are located just a few hours from the city of Seattle in Washington state. If we look at the most visited national park, the difference gets even larger. The Great Smoky Mountains had over 25 million visitors in 2020. If you multiply the 31,000 visitors of North Cascades by over 800, then you will reach the same amount of visitors as the Great Smoky Mountains.

Taking in the views at Diablo Lake Vista Point

2) No Entrance Fee

Wait, did I write that correctly? I sure did! There is no entrance fee to visit North Cascades National Park. This means you can simply drive into the park and begin to enjoy the views, hikes, and activities it has to offer without paying to do so.

While this may not be a big deal for some, it is for others. Those who like or need to travel on a budget can appreciate saving the extra ~$35 (per vehicle) it normally costs to enter a national park.

On the other hand, parks such as Glacier National Park and Zion National Park do charge an entrance fee. You thus have to budget accordingly to make sure you do not break the bank.

The suspension bridge along the Thunder Creek Trail

3) Less Than Three Hours From Seattle – Reasons to Visit North Cascades

You might wonder whether this information can be accurate. Less people + no entrance fee + less than a three hour drive from Seattle?!? North Cascades is sounding better and better.

Now let us again do some comparisons with Mount Rainier and Olympic National Parks. First, Mount Rainier is an approximately two hour drive south from Seattle with zero to minimal traffic. The drive increases by about 30 minutes when adding in traffic during busier hours. Second, Olympic is an approximately 2.5 hour drive west of Seattle with zero to minimal traffic. Similar to the other parks, the drive increases by about 30 minutes during rush hours.

That being said, the driving times to all three of these national parks from Seattle are fairly similar. This means you definitely have the time to visit North Cascades National Park! If planning a day trip, stay in a nearby town such as Concrete or Winthrop. Otherwise, reserve a campsite within the park and become one with nature for a whole weekend. 

If you need some recommendations for things to do in the city, then check out my one-day itinerary for Seattle. The day ends with a visit to Kerry Park where you can enjoy panoramic views of the Seattle Skyline.

Appreciating the scenery by the river’s edge

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