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.
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| Visitor Center |
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| Part of the over 50 parking spots |
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| Atrium |
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| Information desk and sales counter |
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| Artwork in the atrium |
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| More artwork in the atrium |
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| Additional artwork in the atrium |
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| Relief map in the atrium |
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| Clothing for sale |
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| Books for sale |
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| Artwork for sale |
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| Museum entrance |
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| Museum exhibit |
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| More museum exhibits |
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| 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.
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