North Cascades National Park
North Cascades National Park is a national park in the U.S. state of Washington. It was established on 2 October 1968. The park covers 634,000 acres (257,000 ha) of the Cascade Range (specifically the North Cascades).
Geography
The Park is split in half by the Skagit River, which flows south then southwest through the park. Another primary watercourse of the park is the Baker River which flows into the Skagit and the Stehekin River (which flows into Lake Chelan in the southeast).
North Cascades National Park features the rugged mountain peaks of the North Cascades Range. This is the most expansive glacial system in the mainland United States. The Park also has the headwaters of numerous waterways, and vast forests with the highest degree of flora biodiversity of any US national park.
History
The region was first settled by Paleo-Indian Native Americans. By the time white explorers arrived it was inhabited by Skagit tribes.
North Cascades National Park Media
- Microblades North Cascades.jpg
Microblades excavated from Cascades Pass; the two on the right were crafted from quartz.
- Goode Mountain.jpeg
Goode Mountain is the tallest mountain in the park.
- Ross Lake Dam, North Cascades National Park, Washington - panoramio.jpg
Ross Dam in the Ross Lake National Recreation Area
- NPS DirectorandStaff.jpg
Stephen Mather (seated at center) was the first Director of the National Park Service, and is the namesake for the vast wilderness area that now encompasses almost all of the park.
- Mount Triumph 25911.JPG
Mount Triumph 7240+ feet, 2207+ meters
- North Cascades National Park sign.jpg
West entrance sign on SR 20
- Eldorado Peak 8700s.JPG
The south unit of the park is dominated by Eldorado Peak (left center skyline). Cascade Pass, one of the most popular hiking destinations in the park, is the lowest point on the skyline between Boston Peak (just right of center, with large glacier) and broad Johannesburg Mountain (right). Hidden Lake Peaks, another popular hike, are in the middle distance below and right of Boston Peak.
- Mount Degenhardt 26001.JPG
View from the south of Mount Terror (left skyline), Inspiration Peak (center) and McMillan Spires (right center), major summits in the southern portion of the Picket Range
Thunder Creek is known for its milky appearance from suspended rock particles called glacial flour.
