Sterling Munro Trail - North Cascades National Park

 

During our September 2022 visit, we hiked a couple of trails that begin at the rear of the North Cascades Visitor Center. The first is a short, accessible boardwalk and the second is a typical national park trail that descends to the Skagit River before returning to the visitor center. 

A plaque near the trailhead of the Sterling Munro Trail states:

S. Sterling Munro, Jr., longtime Chief of Staff to Senator Henry M. Jackson, devoted himself to preserving the parks and wilderness areas that we enjoy today. This trail through shaded forest leading to Stering's favorite view - the Picket Range - is dedicated to him.

While it is a bit of a stretch to call this 300-foot-long boardwalk a trail, it does provide a place to stretch your legs and a wonderful view of the Picket Range at the end.

Transition from asphalt to boardwalk

Typical forest conditions

Approaching the viewpoint

Almost in sight

The Picket Range

A spur of Mount Ross

There is no entrance fee at North Cascades National Park.

The North Cascades National Park website is https://www.nps.gov/noca/index.htm.

Visitor Center - North Cascades National Park

On our return from Alaska, we took a few days to make our first visit to North Cascades National Park. As is our usual custom, one of our first stops was at the visitor center in Newhalem, Washington. Located near milepost 120 on the North Cascades Highway (Washington Route 20), the visitor center and Newhalem Creek Campground (104 sites) are located on the opposite side of the Skagit River from the highway. A one-lane bridge spans the river with traffic lights at both ends to regulate traffic flow. This bridge was built in the mid-1970s to provide access to the campground. When the visitor center was built in the early 1990s, no money was appropriated to fund the widening or replacement of the bridge. The visitor center was dedicated on May 30, 1993. In the nearly 30 years since then, it appears that traffic has not grown to the point of needing the extra capacity that a two-lane bridge would supply.

The visitor center has the usual amenities including restrooms, an information desk, a bookstore and gift shop, a museum, and a large theater. Two short documentaries alternate every quarter hour in the theater. These include one on grizzly bears and a second on the reintroduction of the fisher (Pekania pennanti) to the park.

Visitor Center

Part of the over 50 parking spots

Atrium

Information desk and sales counter

Artwork in the atrium

More artwork in the atrium

Additional artwork in the atrium

Relief map in the atrium

Clothing for sale

Books for sale

Artwork for sale

Museum entrance

Museum exhibit

More museum exhibits

Even more exhibits

There is no entrance fee at North Cascades National Park.

The North Cascades National Park website is https://www.nps.gov/noca/index.htm.

Views from Crescent Lake - Lake Clark National Park

While on our bear-viewing cruise on Crescent Lake in Lake Clark National Park, we circled the lake staying near the shore to see as many bears as possible. The weather forecast called for wind and rain, so staying near the shore also meant smoother sailing. Fortunately, the weather cooperated for most of the day and allowed us to see the Chigmit Mountains surrounding the lake as well as the bears. Other than Redoubt Volcano, also known as Mount Redoubt, none of the mountains visible from the lake have been officially named. Redoubt is an active volcano with its most recent eruption occurring in 2009 and lasting several months. We visited in early September 2022.

Snow-covered Redoubt Volcano (10,197' 9.8 miles)

The wind and rain finally arrived

There is no entrance fee at Lake Clark National Park.

The Lake Clark National Park website is https://www.nps.gov/lacl/index.htm.

Bear Viewing Cruise - Lake Clark National Park

Upon arrival at Redoubt Mountain Lodge on Crescent Lake in Lake Clark National Park, we had a quick pit stop, donned raincoats, and boarded one of four covered pontoon boats. Our boat had a capacity of more than a dozen people. On our cruise, only nine guests were assigned to our boat leaving us with plenty of space. Our morning cruise was confined to the southeast end of the lake and a one-mile run down the Lake Fork Crescent River. As we cruised, Mike, our captain and tour guide, provided running commentary about the bears, the lodge, Crescent Lake, and Lake Clark National Park. 

After stopping for a gourmet lunch in the Redoubt Mountain Lodge dining hall, we continued on our cruise this time circling the lake in a counter-clockwise fashion. While the lake is only about six miles long and 1½ miles wide at its widest, circling the lake took almost two hours before we concentrated on the bears along the southeast shore of the lake again. We also made one nine-minute stop on the gravel shore where everyone had a chance to stretch their legs and take selfies and other pictures of the lake and the Chigmit Mountains.

This cruise did not disappoint as we saw more brown bears around Crescent Lake than in any other national park. We visited Lake Clark National Park in early September 2022.

Morning cruise

Afternoon cruise

There is no entrance fee at Lake Clark National Park.

The Lake Clark National Park website is https://www.nps.gov/lacl/index.htm.