North Cascades Scenic Highway - Washington Route 20 - North Cascades National Park

On our September 2022 visit to North Cascades National Park, we've already posted about several scenic locations on the west side of the park and Ross Lake National Recreation Area (NRA) along the North Cascades Scenic Highway (Washington Route 20). These include

• Visitor Center at mile marker 120
• Newhalem and Ladder Creek Falls at mile marker 120.5
• Gorge Dam viewpoint at mile marker 122.9
• Gorge Overlook at mile marker 123.4
• Gorge Creek Falls at mile marker 123.4

We drove east along the scenic highway to the eastern boundaries of the park and the NRA and then backtracked to stop at a few of the viewpoints along the north side of the highway. 

Ross Lake Overlooks MM 135.3 and MM 135.1

Interpretive sign - Glaciers

Jack Mountain (9066' 5 miles)

Mount Prophet (7640' 10 miles)

Ross Lake with Ruby Arm in the foreground

Unnamed peaks (left  7244' 8.2 miles and right 6532' 7.1 miles)

Twin peaks of Hozomeen Mountain (8066' and 7383' 17.6 miles)
and Ross Lake

An unnamed ridge partially blocks the view of Desolation Peak (6102' 12.7 miles)
and the eastern peak of Hozomeen Mountain

Interpretive sign - Fire Lookouts

Another view of Jack Mountain

Ross Dam Overlook mile marker 133.0

Interpretive sign - Mountain Power Plant

Ross Dam

View west to Davis Peak (7051' 5.8 miles) and the Skagit River Gorge

Colonial Peak (center 7771' 4.3 miles) and Paul Bunyans Stump (extreme right 7480' 4.8 miles)

Diablo Lake Overlook mile marker 131.7

Davis Peak above Diablo Lake

Jack Mountain

Raised-relief map

Diablo Lake

Thunder Arm of Diablo Lake

An unnamed peak (5161'), Colonial Peak, Paul Bunyans Stump, and Pyramid Peak (7182')

There is no entrance fee at North Cascades National Park.

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

Gorge Creek Falls - North Cascades National Park

Continuing our September 2022 visit to North Cascades National Park, we left our vehicle in the  paved parking lot for the Gorge Overlook Trail at mile 123.4 on the North Cascades Scenic Highway or Washington Route 20 and walked north to the bridge spanning Gorge Creek. This bridge has sidewalks on both sides to allow visitors to see both the Gorge Creek Falls on the north side of the bridge (compass northwest) and the creek's confluence with the Skagit River in the Skagit River Gorge on the other side. Since the parking lot is on the south (compass southeast) side of the road, we started on that side and walked to the middle of the bridge for the following pictures.

Mouth of Gorge Creek at Gorge Lake on the Skagit River

Looking down at the boulders in Gorge Creek

Colonial Peak (7771') visible in a saddle between
two unnamed ridges above Gorge Lake

Having retraced our steps to the parking lot, we crossed the road at the marked crosswalk and proceeded back to the bridge for some views of the Gorge Creek Falls. The falls are so high and in so much shade that I couldn't get a good view of the entire spectacle.

Looking back at the crosswalk and parking lot

The packed gravel path should be smooth enough for wheelchair use

Sidewalk on the north side of the highway bridge

Gorge Creek Falls (242' high)

Three of the five drops of the falls

Another view

View across the bridge and the Skagit River Gorge to Colonial Peak (7771') visible in the saddle

There is no entrance fee at North Cascades National Park.

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

Gorge Overlook Trail - North Cascades National Park

The trailhead for the Gorge Overlook Trail is near mile 123.4 on the south side of the North Cascades Highway (Washington Route 20). Paved parking for about two dozen vehicles is available as well as a vault toilet. An accessible, paved trail zig-zags up a short incline to provide a view of an unnamed waterfall flowing into Gorge Creek. The paved trail continues a short distance to a couple of views of Gorge Lake before turning downstream to another overlook about 0.2 miles from the parking lot. Beyond the last overlook, the trail is a gravel surface that is not ADA compliant. From the second overlook back to the parking lot via the gravel trail is about 1600 feet. We hiked the complete loop during our September 2022 visit to North Cascades National Park.

Gorge High Dam from North Cascades Highway pullout at mile 122.9

A closer view

Trailhead interpretive display

Typical trail conditions for the accessible part of the trail

Waterfall flowing into Gorge Creek

My daughter taking in the view from the first overlook

Gorge Lake

Second overlook

Interpretive sign

Another view of Gorge Lake

Obstructed view of Gorge High Dam from the last overlook

Typical trail conditions beyond the pavement

Trailside boulder

Lots of trees

Switchback

Larger trailside rocks

Was a section of this rock removed to create the trail?

Returning to the parking lot

There is no entrance fee at North Cascades National Park.

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