North Cascades National Park Camping includes four campgrounds along Highway 20 near Diablo lake. There is also one campground that is only accessible via Canada.
Where to go car camping for North Cascades National Park
North Cascades NP is located in the northwestern portion of Washington state and is often referred to as the American Alps. This is because of its incredible mountain peaks, and over 300 glaciers. Park visitors and campers alike will thoroughly enjoy the highlights of the park, including the North Cascades Visitor Center, Diablo Lake Overlook, and epic hiking trails like Thunder Creek Trail, Cascade Pass, and Thunder Knob, which is a 3.6-mile trail with epic views and crosses several forest types in the area!
One thing to know about North Cascades is the park is co-managed with Lake Chelan National Recreation Area and Ross Lake National Recreation Area by the National Park Service.
Scenic Highway 20, also known as the North Cascades Highway, is closed each winter due to snowfall. The road is typically closed from mid-November to April every year. I personally think the best time to visit is in early summer after the snow melts and before the increased risk of wildfire. Te days are also longer to enjoy nature as this is one of the least visited national parks.
- Make sure to check the National Park Service Website for any alerts of wildfires, road closures, and if any campfire bans are in effect before making reservations and before you visit North Cascades National Park. This park has a high-elevation mountain pass, snowy winter conditions in the winter and the potential for extreme wildfires in the summer.
North Cascades National Park Entrance Fee
North Cascades does not require an entrance fee and is a fee-free park. Camping fees still apply.
If you are planning a National Park vacation including all of Washington's National Parks, perhaps you may wish to purchase an annual National Park Pass called the America the Beautiful/National Park Pass which also covers entrance fees for an entire year to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites.
The park pass covers everyone in the car for per-vehicle sites and up to 4 adults for per-person sites.
Buy on REI.com and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.
North Cascade Camping Reservations
All drive-in campgrounds along State Route 20 are on a reservation system through recreation.gov.
Campgrounds may be open before or after the reservation season on a first-come, first-served basis.
Sites that are not reserved are available on a first-come, first-served basis but they fill quickly especially on the weekends!
Goodell Creek Campground
Location: Located south of State Route 20 at milepost 119. 13 miles (21 km) east of Marblemount, 74 miles (119 km) west of Winthrop.
Number of sites: 19 sites. Campground appropriate for tents and small RVs
Cost per night: $20/night for reservations.
Goddell Creek Campground is free from mid-September to Memorial Day Weekend when water and trash services are stopped.
Reservations?: yes, Reserve sites 3-180 days in advance online at www.recreation.gov or by phone at 1-877-444-6777.
GPS Coordinates:
Campground amenities: Drinking water, garbage service, and vault toilets provided. No hook-ups or showers. Covered picnic shelter. Gathering firewood is prohibited, but firewood can be purchased outside of the park.
RVs allowed?: Yes, Small RVs will fit in this campground
Generator Hours: 8 am to 8 pm
Accessibility: There are no ADA campsites available.
Check out our full post with site photos of Goodell Creek Campground.
Newhalem Creek Campground
Newhalem Creek Campground
Location: Located south of SR 20 at milepost 120. 14 miles (23 km) east of Marblemount, 73 miles (117 km) west of Winthrop just west of the town of Newhalem.
Number of sites: 107 sites
Cost per night: $24/night for reservations
Reservations?: Yes, Reservations accepted for Loops A, B and C. Reserve sites 3-180 days in advance online at www.recreation.gov or by phone at 1-877-444-6777.
GPS Coordinates:
Campground amenities: Potable water, garbage, and recycling service, and flush toilets provided. No showers or hook-ups. Fully accessible site available.
RVs allowed?: Yes, Limited sites can accommodate up to 45 ft for large RVs. Driveway lengths for RVs vary (see www.recreation.gov for lengths)
Generator Hours: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Accessibility: There are 2 ADA-accessible drive-in campsites.
Gorge Lake Campground
Gorge Lake Campground
Location: Located just outside the town of Diablo, north of SR 20 at milepost 126. 20 miles (32 km) east of Marblemount, 67 miles (108 km) west of Winthrop.
Number of sites: 8 sites
Cost per night: $20/night for reservations
Reservations?: Yes, Reserve sites 3-180 days in advance online at www.recreation.gov or by phone at 1-877-444-6777.
GPS Coordinates: Latitude 48° 42' 56.5663" N Longitude 121° 9' 5.5165" W
Campground amenities: Primitive camp with no water. Bring water. Vault toilets, garbage, and recycling available.
RVs allowed?: Yes, Most sites have a maximum length of 25 feet. Site 7 has a maximum length of 76 feet
Generator Hours: 8 am to 8 pm
Accessibility: There are No ADA accessible campsites.
Colonial Creek Campground
Location: Located off of SR 20 at milepost 130. 25 miles (40 km) east of Marblemount, 63 miles (101 km) west of Winthrop.
Number of sites: South Loop - 93 Sites, North Loop - 41 sites
Cost per night: $24/night for reservations.
Colonial Creek South Campground Sites 64-73 are open during the winter months with no water, services or fees. There is only vault toilets available during this time.
Reservations?: yes, Reserve sites 3-180 days in advance online at www.recreation.gov or by phone at 1-877-444-6777.
Campground reservations are accepted during the specified season dates. Campgrounds may be open before or after the reservation season on a first-come, first-served basis.
GPS Coordinates: Latitude 48° 41' 22.4902" N Longitude 121° 5' 45.8200" W
Campground Amenities: Flush toilets, garbage, and recycling service, and potable water available. No hook-ups or showers. Fully accessible campsites available. Walk-in campsites are available.
RVs allowed?: Yes, This campground is not large RV-friendly. Large RVs can better be accommodated in Newhalem Creek Campground sites.
Generator Hours: 8 am to 8 pm
Accessibility: There are three ADA accessible campsites available in Colonial Creek North and South Campgrounds.
Hozomeen Campground
Location: Located 40 miles (64 km) south of Hope, B.C. on Silver/Skagit Rd.
To reach Hozomeen take the Silver/Skagit Road from Highway #1, Exit 168, 2 mi (3 km) west of Hope, B.C.
Travel south for 40 miles (64km) to reach the campground, Ranger Station, and boat launch.
The Silver/Skagit Road is maintained but unpaved and often rough, carry a spare tire. For current road conditions refer to the road conditions report.
Hozomeen Campground is not accessible by road from the U.S.
Number of sites: 75 designated sites plus other camping areas.
Campsites located in the Upper Loop are closed until further notice due to hazard trees.
Cost per night: Free
Reservations?: First Come First Serve
GPS Coordinates: Latitude. 48.9852 N. Longitude. -121.0712 W
Campground amenities: Potable water. Vault Toilets. No gas or services available, all garbage must be packed out.
RVs allowed?: Yes, maximum length 25 feet.
Generator Hours: 8 am to 8 pm
Backcountry Camping
The Wilderness Trip Planner Map lists all of the backcountry campsites in the park complex.
Boat in campgrounds on Ross Lake and camping near Stehekin offer another camping option.
All backcountry camping requires a backcountry permit.
Lake Chelan Boat in Camps
No reservations are available for the Lake Chelan Boat In campsites. A federal dock permit is required from May 1st to October 31st for motorboats.
Each camp has a vault toilet and bear-proof food storage lockers. Water needs to be pulled from the lake and filtered or boiled.
From December to May lake levels are at their lowest. During this time campsites may not be accessible by boat when lake levels are below 1,096 feet.
Weaver Point
Location - across from Stehekin Landing by boat or accessed by the 3.5 mile Stehekin River Trail.
Sites - 16 sites with picnic tables.
Call the Golden West Visitor Center at 509-699-2080 ex 14 to check on current conditions before heading to Weaver Point.
Flick Creek
Location - 3.5 miles from Stehekin Landing on the NE shore of Lake Chelan along the Lakeshore Trail.
Sites - 2 sites and a large shelter
Manly Wham
Location - 3 miles from Stehekin Landing on the SW shore of Lake Chelan near Bridal Veil Falls.
Sites - 1 site
Ross Lake Boat in Camps
There are 19 Ross Lake Camping areas ranging from 1 site to 7 sites.
Green Point
Location - .8 miles from Ross Dam, 21.2 miles from Hozomeen
Sites - 5
Green Point has a group site, trail access, and a boat dock.
Cougar Island
Location - 2.4 miles from Ross Dam, 19.6 miles from Hozomeen
Sites - 2
Cougar Island has a boat dock.
Roland Point
Location - 3.5 miles from Ross Dam, 18.5 miles from Hozomeen
Sites - 1
Roland Point does NOT have a group site, trail access or a boat dock.
McMillan
Location - 4 miles from Ross Dam, 18 miles from Hozomeen
Sites - 3
McMillan has group sites and a boat dock.
Spencer's
Location - 4.3 miles from Ross Dam, 17.7 miles from Hozomeen
Sites - 2
Spencer's has a boat dock
Big Beaver
Location - 4.6 miles from Ross Dam, 17.4 miles from Hozomeen
Sites - 7
Big Beaver has group sites, trail access, and a boat dock.
May Creek
Location - 5 miles from Ross Dam, 17 miles from Hozomeen
Sites - 1
May Creek has trail access and a boat dock
Rainbow Point
Location - 6 miles from Ross Dam, 16 miles from Hozomeen
Sites - 3
Rainbow Point has trail access and a boat dock.
Campsite 5 Goodell Creek Campground
Devil's Junction
Location - 9 miles from Ross Dam, 13 miles from Hozomeen
Sites - 1
Devil's Junction has trail access and a boat dock
Ten Mile Island
Location - 10 miles from Ross Dam, 12 miles from Hozomeen
Sites - 3
Ten Mile Island does NOT have group sites, trail access, or a boat dock.
Dry Creek
Location - 10.4 miles from Ross Dam, 11.6 miles from Hozomeen
Sites - 4
Dry Creek does NOT have group sites, trail access, or a boat dock.
Ponderosa
Location - 11 miles from Ross Dam, 11 miles from Hozomeen
Sites - 2
Ponderosa has a group site
Lodgepole
Location - 11.4 miles from Ross Dam, 10.6 miles from Hozomeen
Sites - 3
Lodgepole has group sites and trail access
Lightning Creek Stock Camp
Location - 11.8 miles from Ross Dam, 10.2 miles from Hozomeen
Sites - 2
Lightning Creek Stock Camp has group sites and trail access
Lightning Creek Boat Camp
Location - 12 miles from Ross Dam, 10 miles from Hozomeen
Sites - 5
Lightning Creek Boat Camp has group sites, trail access, and a boat dock.
Cat Island
Location - 13 miles from Ross Dam, 9 miles from Hozomeen
Sites - 4
Cat Island has group sites and a boat dock.
Little Beaver
Location - 15 miles from Ross Dam, 7 miles from Hozomeen
Sites - 5
Little Beaver has group sites, trail access, and a boat dock.
Boundry Bay
Location - 16.5 miles from Ross Dam, 5.5 miles from Hozomeen
Sites - 3
Boundry Bay has group sites and a boat dock.
Silver Creek
Location - 20 miles from Ross Dam, 2 miles from Hozomeen
Sites - 2
Silver Creek has group sites and a boat dock.
Diablo Lake Boat In Camps
There are 3 Diablo Lake Camping areas. These can be accessed from the boat launch located at Colonial Creek Campground on State Route 20.
All boat in Diablo Lake Camping requires a backcountry permit. All three sites have a boat dock.
Buster Brown
Location - 2.8 miles from Colonial Creek Campground
Sites - 3
Hidden Cove
Location - 2.6 miles from Colonial Creek Campground
Sites - 1
Thunder Point
Location - 2 miles from Colonial Creek Campground
Sites - 2
Pacific Crest Trail
North Cascades National Park will honor the long-distance PCT hiking Permit that is issued by the Pacific Crest Trail Association for camping at specific camps.
Long distance permit hikers no longer need to obtain a backcountry permit for Six Mile Camp or Bridge Creek Camp as of 2020.
All other sites along the PCT in the park still require a separate backcountry permit.
If you do not have a PCTA long distance permit you will need to get a North Cascades NP back country permit from a designated ranger station.
18 miles of the PCT travels through the south unit of North Cascades National Park.
Winter Camping
North Cascades NP keeps a couple of campgrounds open through the winter on a first come first served basis.
Goodell Creek Campground - 19 sites for tents and small RVs
Gorge Lake Campground - 8 sites for tents and small RVs
Colonial Creek Campground - 10 walk in tent only sites. These sites are 10 to 30 yards from the parking area. Campsites #64 to 73.
There is no water or trash service available during the winter. Vault toilets are available in the campground.
Reservations are not accepted. Camping is Free during the winter!
North Cascade Camping Regulations
- Campsite occupancy is limited to eight people, three tents, and two vehicles per site.
- Camping is limited to 14 days from July 1 through Labor Day (first Monday in September) and to 30 days the rest of the year.
- Firewood, ice, gas, and other services are not available in the park complex.
- There is no dispersed camping in the park complex.
- Sites that are not reserved are available on a first-come, first-served basis
Don't forget to Pack
Campsite 3 Newhalem Creek Campground
Lodging Options
Lodging options outside the park from both the West and East sides of the park
From the West end of park in Concrete, WA.
Mt. Baker Hotel—This is a 2.5-star, 8-room hotel with Air Conditioning, free parking, and free Wi-Fi. There is no elevator, some rooms are upstairs, and no pets are allowed.
On the east side of the Park is Winthrop, Wa.
Most people who drive through Winthrop end up stopping and spending some time here! Yes, this is a tourist town, and it has an undeniable appeal, with an old West feel and wooden walkways between buildings.
I personally really like Winthrop, especially the Old Schoolhouse Brewery. It has good food and pretty good beverages too! As far as Lodging goes, there are several options.
Sun Mountain Lodge is a popular hotel in the Winthrop area. It has a 4.5/5 star rating and breathtaking views of the North Cascades and the Methow Valley. The hotel includes free parking, free internet, a pool and fitness center, bicycle rentals, and more!
We hope this North Cascades National Park Camping guide helps you plan an amazing camping trip! There is nothing better than waking up in the park.
For a fun adventure, check out Escape Campervans. These campervans have built-in beds, kitchen area with refrigerators, and more. You can have them fully set up with kitchen supplies, bedding, and other fun extras. They are painted with epic designs you can't miss!
Escape Campervans has offices in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, Chicago, New York, and Orlando.
Additional information on North Cascades National Park
Complete Guide to North Cascades National Park - Your complete guide to planning your trip to North Cascades.
Colonial Creek Campground—This is your complete campground guide, including photos of the campground, site amenities, reservation information, and more!
Gorge Lake Campground - This is your complete campground guide, including photos of the campground, site amenities, reservation information, and more!
Newhalem Creek Campground - This is your complete campground guide, including photos of the campground, site amenities, reservation information, and more!
Goodell Creek Campground - This is your complete campground guide, including photos of the campground, site amenities, reservation information, and more!
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