The North Cascades National Park Complex in Washington state is comprised of North Cascades National Park, and Ross Lake and Lake Chelan national recreation areas. This means there are several avenues for getting to this national park complex, depending upon where you wish to go and how you wish to arrive.

Washington Pass on State Route 20 (SR 20) on the eastern side of North Cascades National Park / Rebecca Latson
Plane
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) is the nearest major airport at approximately 120 miles (193 km) from the North Cascades Visitor Center in Newhalem, Washington, and about 190 miles (306 km) from Chelan, Washington.
- Vancouver International Airport in British Columbia, Canada, is approximately 130 miles (210 km) from the North Cascades Visitor Center and 135 miles (220 km) from Hozomeen, Washington.
- Bellingham International Airport offers limited commercial air service to Northwest Washington and the SR 542 corridor.
- Pangborn Memorial Airport offers limited commercial service for Wenatchee and Chelan.
- Chelan Seaplanes and Kenmore Air Harbor offer air service to Stehekin, at the northern terminus of Lake Chelan.
Train
Amtrak
- The Amtrak Cascades arrives twice daily at Mount Vernon station from both Seattle and Vancouver, BC.
- The Empire Builder arrives once per day from both Seattle and Minneapolis-St. Paul (via Glacier National Park and Spokane).
Amtrak does not stop directly in this national park complex. You will need to rent a vehicle and drive the remainder of the way.
VIA
- The Canadian arrives three times per week from Toronto and the Canadian Rockies in Hope, Chilliwack, Abbotsford, and Vancouver, BC. Rental car services are available in Chilliwack, Abbotsford, and Vancouver, BC.
Bus
National
- Greyhound serves communities along Interstate 5/Highway 99, including Mount Vernon and Bellingham, and US Highway 2, including Leavenworth and Wenatchee.
West
- Whatcom Transportation Authority service along State Route 542 (SR 542) is limited frequency and ends 10 miles (16 km) short of the Glacier Public Service Center.
- Skagit Transit provides fixed route service to the State Route 20 (SR 20) gateway communities of Sedro-Woolley and Concrete and infrequent pocket service to Marblemount. Racks are available on all fixed route SKAT and WTA buses for those bicycling SR 20 and SR 542.
East
- Link Transit buses (no Sunday service) connect Wenatchee to the Chelan dock of the passenger ferry to Stehekin.
- A shuttle is available in the Stehekin Valley from Stehekin Landing to up valley lodges, camps, and trailheads. The new schedule is available at North Cascades Lodge at Stehekin Landing.
Boat
The Lady of the Lake provides round-trip service between Chelan and Stehekin with scheduled stops at Field's Point and Lucerne. Daily service is available from mid-Spring through early fall with reduced service during the winter months.
On Foot
Hiker access to Stehekin begins at the Cascade Pass trailhead on the gravel Cascade River Road, the southbound Pacific Crest Trail from State Route 20 near the Rainy Pass picnic area, and from Eagle Creek, War Creek, South Creek, and Gilbert trailheads on the Twisp River Road. Some of these trails are suitable for stock. For more information, please refer to the park’s Trail Guide.
Car
North Cascades Highway
The primary route through the park is via the North Cascades Highway (SR 20), crossing North Cascades National Park in a northeasterly direction. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is the closest to the park, where you’ll, drive north on Interstate 5 (I-5) approximately 81 miles (130 km) to Burlington, Washington. Take Exit 230 onto State Route 20 (SR 20).
This road is closed during the winter from November to April, between Ross Dam Trailhead and Lone Fir Campground.
Hozomeen
While you will be able to see Ross Lake from the North Cascades Highway (SR 20), the only road access to this lake’s shoreline is further up north at the Canadian border via the Silver-Skagit Road to Hozomeen. This 37-mile (60 km) gravel road connects with B.C. Highway 1 (Exit 168) near Hope, British Columbia. Water taxi and portage services on Ross Lake are available through Ross Lake Resort.
Mount Shuksan, Northern Pickets, and Copper Ridge
Hiker and climber access to Copper Ridge, the northern Picket Range and Mount Shuksan is available from SR 542 east of Bellingham. The Sulphide Glacier route on Mount Shuksan is reached from the Baker Lake Road at milepost 82 on the North Cascades Highway.
Stehekin And Lake Chelan National Recreation Area
There is no car access to Stehekin and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area. Passenger shuttle service is provided in the Stehekin Valley.
There are no gas stations within the North Cascades National Park Complex. Along the North Cascades Highway (SR 20), the nearest gas station on the west side is at Marblemount, and on the east side at Winthrop and Mazama, both in Washington.
You can charge up your electric vehicle (EV) at Concrete, Rockport, and Newhalem on the west side of the park, and Twisp, Winthrop, and Mazama on the east side.