Page 194 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Pacific Northwest

192  P A CIFIC NOR THWEST REGION B Y REGION

i North Cascades National Park Tour

The North Cascades National Park is a breathtakingly beautiful
ecosystem of jagged snowcapped peaks, forested valleys,
and cascading waterfalls. Its many wonders can be accessed
from the scenic North Cascades Highway, which bisects
the park. With more than 300 glaciers, the park is the
most heavily glaciated region in the lower 48 states.
It is home to a variety of animals, including bald
eagles, beavers, gray wolves, and black and
grizzly bears. The park and the adjacent Ross
Lake and Lake Chelan National Recreation
Areas attract over 400,000 visitors each year. North Cascades
The North Cascades Highway and the Lake Shuksan National Park
Mount
Chelan National Recreation Area are linked (North Unit)
by hiking trails to the quiet town of Stehekin
on Lake Chelan, which is serviced by a ferry
from Chelan (see p191).

Baker Lake
Newhalem
Skagit River North Cascades
National Park
(South Unit)

4 Mount Shuksan One of the state’s
highest mountains at 9,131 ft (2,783 m), Marblemount
and a dominant feature of the park, Mount Mount Baker Marble Creek
Shuksan consists of a form of basalt known CASCADES RIVER ROAD
as Shuksan greenschist.

3 Gorge Creek Falls Plunging 242 ft 0 kilometers 15
(74 m) into Gorge Lake, the Gorge Creek
Falls are visible from an overlook just off the 0 miles 10
North Cascades Highway. A fully accessible,
paved trail leads to the overlook.

1 Skagit River 2 North Cascades Visitor Center
The second-longest river in Washington, Commanding an impressive view Key
the Skagit is popular for steelhead and of the Picket Range, the visitor Tour route
salmon fishing. The river has been center, near Newhalem, offers
dammed in three locations in the interpretive displays, multimedia Other road
park, creating lakes and providing presentations, and daily ranger- Trail
hydroelectric power for the state. guided programs in summer.

For hotels and restaurants see pp288–90 and pp300–2

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