Just under 3 hours from Seattle, Washington lies an untouched wilderness. North Cascades National Park has everything from jagged mountain peaks, lush forest valleys, to cascading river systems.

Image by the Greatest American Road Trip

There are many activities to participate in North Cascades. The North Cascades Insitute offers many programs that explore the history of the park. Classes include subjects like geology, animal life, and the ecosystem.

Image by Adventures Northwest Magazine

Birds are a major part of the park’s ecosystem. There are 200 species in 38 families that can be discovered throughout a multitude of habitats throughout North Cascades. The Great Washington State Birding Trail provides wonderful opportunities to see a variety of birds. This trail consists of over 3,000 miles and 7 different options of loops to explore. The most popular of these trials is the Olympic Loop. This option provides the opportunity to spot hundreds of different species of birds. The Olympic Loop in itself covers over 400 miles of trails. Hikers can choose a day or week-long expeditions. There are also ways to access parts of the trail by car, a more plausible option for a short-term trip.

The Skagit Eagle Festival is a month-long celebration of eagle watching. This festival takes place in January, during prime eagle-season in Skagit county. Activities throughout this celebration include guided hikes, 5k salmon runs, and even campfires. It is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with nature.

Image by Explore Skagit Valley

Bear Safety is very important in relation to North Cascades National Park. Visitors must remember that bears are animals that deserve respect. The population at North Cascades consists of black and grizzly bears. They begin hibernation in the fall and reemerge in the spring. These animals have exceptional eyesight, and a great ability to climb trees. This is why visitors should go to extreme lengths to avoid close encounters. Hikers can practice safety measures like hiking in groups, being alert, making plenty of noise, and giving the wild animals space.

Image by Robin Silver

Climate change also has a major impact on North Cascades National Park. The region holds about 300 glaciers among its mountains. These glaciers are essential to the parks’ aquatic ecosystem. The loss of glaciers due to climate change disrupts multiple river systems throughout the area. Scientists at the North Cascades National Park Service Complex began long-term monitoring of the glaciers in 1993. All glaciers are retreating, but singular glaciers each have a different response to climate change. The threat to these unique natural features grows with each passing year.

Image by Andy Porter

This park holds once-in-a-lifetime experiences that will develop into fantastic memories. Visit soon!