Posted by Amy Lindsey on August 11, 2012 at 9:19 PM
I am heading to the North Cascades for a couple days in early October. Can anyone recommend a good hotel for a reasonable price? Looking for something near the park entrance on the west side. Also, is this a decent time to expect fall colors? Can you recommend any "must see" locations? I only have ~ 2 days so I need to make the most of my time.
Thanks for your help!
Posted by Laurie Wendt on August 12, 2012 at 5:02 PM
Amy,
I assume you're referring to the North Cascades hwy 20? If so, sorry I can't help you with that. I'm also interested in visiting this area, maybe next year, so I hope you get some help with your inquiries.
I've been along the Mount Baker Highway, although not in the fall. I could recommend lodging for that area.
Posted by Greg Vaughn on August 13, 2012 at 9:44 PM
Can't help you with the lodging, but maybe with the sights. How much hiking do you want to do and how strenuous? You should hit some very nice fall color. It might be a bit early for the bigleaf maple, but you'll probably hit it about right for the huckleberry and larch trees at the higher elevations.
Don't miss for sure: the views from Washington Pass Overlook. Just a short walk from the parking lot to outstanding views of jagged peaks and ridges above Early Winters Valley. Look south for Liberty Bell and the Early Winters Spires.
Easy hikes in the same area: Blue Lake and Lake Ann. The larch could be golden around these jewel-like lakes. Longer, and truly spectacular hike: Lake Ann-Heather Pass-Maple Pass.
Another longer hike, but one of the very best in all of Washington is Cascades Pass, on the western side of North Cascades National Park. Glaciers, huckleberry in fall color, bears munching on huckleberry, peak-after-snow-capped peak and forever views.
Roadside stop, well worth it: Diablo Lake Overlook. Great views and a bunch of interpretive panels explaining the geology, geology and history of North Cascades.
If you have two full days, consider an early morning start from west side, cross over to the east and stay in or around Winthrop for the night then return over the same highway or make a loop trip by returning to Puget Sound via Hwy 2.
Posted by Amy Lindsey on August 13, 2012 at 10:17 PM
Laurie- Yes, I'm refering to Hwy 20 on the west side of the park. I'll be coming from the San Juans that morning and would like to find lodging near the park.
Greg- I'm a flatlander and not in shape to do strenuous hikes, so i'm thinking a couple miles round trip or accessible by a car. We might have an SUV, but I'm not certain yet. Thanks for the suggestions on Winthrop. Would staying in Concrete be a decent option for a Mt. Shuksan reflection in the lake? I'm looking for some classic grand scenic images (snow capped peaks reflected in lakes with red and orange foliage, a couple of poofy clouds) to add to my collection. I'd also like to catch a waterfall if there are any, but will be hitting the Columbia River Gorge at the beginning of my trip so those aren't essential at NCNP. By the way, I used your Oregon photography book a couple years ago on my first trip out there and found it to be extraordinarily helpful!
Thank you both for your input!
Posted by Greg Vaughn on August 14, 2012 at 10:58 AM
The Picture Lake and Mt. Shuksan view is definitely the classic grand view you're looking for. Hitting that location at the end of Hwy 542 as well as NCNP via Hwy 20 takes some driving however. Picture Lake to Concrete is about 2 hours.
Most photographers like to shoot the Picture Lake view mid- to late-afternoon when there's still some sun on the meadow surrounding the lake. After that, walk or drive up to Artists Point for sunset and dusk photos of Mount Baker and Mt Shuksan. There are a couple of little tarns along the trail (easy hike, maybe 1/2 mile) that leads east from the parking area.
Nooksack Falls is just off Hwy 542, about halfway between the town of Glacier and Picture Lake. If you hit good fall color from the bigleaf maple trees in that area, look for a little cascading waterfall on Fossil Creek, about two miles west of the turn for Nooksack Falls and immediately off the highway on the north side.
In the Ross Lake Recreation Area part of North Cascades NP, look for Ladder Creek Falls in Newhalem, almost next to the big hydro power plant, and Gorge Creek Falls just a little further east on Hwy 20.
If you stay overnite in Concrete, an option for sunrise is the view of Mount Baker from the southeast end of Baker Lake. Try the boat launch area at the campground there.
Up near Washington Pass, the trail to Rainey Lake is a barrier-free 1-mile paved path. Blue Lake and Lake Ann are both about 4 miles round trip, but fairly easy hikes and IMO much more scenic than Rainey.
I'm glad you found "Photographing Oregon" helpful. As you might guess, "Photographing Washington" is in the works.
Discussion
4 repliesThanks for your help!
I assume you're referring to the North Cascades hwy 20? If so, sorry I can't help you with that. I'm also interested in visiting this area, maybe next year, so I hope you get some help with your inquiries.
I've been along the Mount Baker Highway, although not in the fall. I could recommend lodging for that area.
Don't miss for sure: the views from Washington Pass Overlook. Just a short walk from the parking lot to outstanding views of jagged peaks and ridges above Early Winters Valley. Look south for Liberty Bell and the Early Winters Spires.
Easy hikes in the same area: Blue Lake and Lake Ann. The larch could be golden around these jewel-like lakes. Longer, and truly spectacular hike: Lake Ann-Heather Pass-Maple Pass.
Another longer hike, but one of the very best in all of Washington is Cascades Pass, on the western side of North Cascades National Park. Glaciers, huckleberry in fall color, bears munching on huckleberry, peak-after-snow-capped peak and forever views.
Roadside stop, well worth it: Diablo Lake Overlook. Great views and a bunch of interpretive panels explaining the geology, geology and history of North Cascades.
If you have two full days, consider an early morning start from west side, cross over to the east and stay in or around Winthrop for the night then return over the same highway or make a loop trip by returning to Puget Sound via Hwy 2.
Greg- I'm a flatlander and not in shape to do strenuous hikes, so i'm thinking a couple miles round trip or accessible by a car. We might have an SUV, but I'm not certain yet. Thanks for the suggestions on Winthrop. Would staying in Concrete be a decent option for a Mt. Shuksan reflection in the lake? I'm looking for some classic grand scenic images (snow capped peaks reflected in lakes with red and orange foliage, a couple of poofy clouds) to add to my collection.
Thank you both for your input!
Most photographers like to shoot the Picture Lake view mid- to late-afternoon when there's still some sun on the meadow surrounding the lake. After that, walk or drive up to Artists Point for sunset and dusk photos of Mount Baker and Mt Shuksan. There are a couple of little tarns along the trail (easy hike, maybe 1/2 mile) that leads east from the parking area.
Nooksack Falls is just off Hwy 542, about halfway between the town of Glacier and Picture Lake. If you hit good fall color from the bigleaf maple trees in that area, look for a little cascading waterfall on Fossil Creek, about two miles west of the turn for Nooksack Falls and immediately off the highway on the north side.
In the Ross Lake Recreation Area part of North Cascades NP, look for Ladder Creek Falls in Newhalem, almost next to the big hydro power plant, and Gorge Creek Falls just a little further east on Hwy 20.
If you stay overnite in Concrete, an option for sunrise is the view of Mount Baker from the southeast end of Baker Lake. Try the boat launch area at the campground there.
Up near Washington Pass, the trail to Rainey Lake is a barrier-free 1-mile paved path. Blue Lake and Lake Ann are both about 4 miles round trip, but fairly easy hikes and IMO much more scenic than Rainey.
I'm glad you found "Photographing Oregon" helpful. As you might guess, "Photographing Washington" is in the works.