What hikes are the best in North Cascades NP? (and other questions) (Rainier: RV park)

[FlutterTrees]

I'll be heading up to the North Cascades National Park for a week, and I have some questions since I'm not familiar with the area. We live in the Portland area. I'll be going for a week, first night will be at Mount Rainier National Park. The second day we'll leave for the North Cascades via eastern Washington's U.S. 97.

1. What hikes are the best in the North Cascades? I'm interested in hikes that give some of the best North Cascades experience---rugged mountain views, subalpine and alpine terrain, etc. I'll be there for four days, staying with a trailer at a campground.

2. From either White River or Ohanapecosh Campground (haven't decided yet), should we head over the Cascades on WA 410 over Chinook Pass, or U.S. 12 (White Pass)? Which route east from Mt. Rainier has the best overall scenery?

3. Can we get to Heather Meadows/Artist Point (below Mt. Shuksan and Mt. Baker) from the Diablo Lake area in a day with enough time for a good, long, rewarding hike? We tend to leave camp late, like 10:00 A.M. (I'm not a morning person).

4. What campgrounds do you recommend we stay at? Is Colonial Creek CG nice? We are fine with developed or rustic campgrounds, but since we have a trailer, it would be nice to have water so we can fill up our water tanks when it gets low. I should mention that we like camping in the mountains, and not at some private RV park/state park/or campground otherwise outside of the national forest or national park.

Thank you for your help!

[sean98125]

If you're coming in summer, then the following applies

1. Cascade Pass in the North Cascades is a great hike. Cascade Pass

2. I like 410 better than 12. Better views of Rainier from the Tipsoo lake area. (There's a great hike there around Naches Peak. Tipsoo Lake-Naches Peak Loop The drive down to reconnect with 12 is nice, and less crowded.

3. It takes 2 1/2 hours or so from Diablo to the parking area at Mount Baker. You can get to a different hike on the south side of the mountain, Park Butte, that has outstanding views. Park Butte It'll be about 90 minutes to get there from Diablo.

4. All of the National Park campgrounds are nice. The state park campgrounds in the area are nice as well. Get reservations before you come, though- they can fill up, especially on weekends.

[FlutterTrees]

Originally Posted by sean98125

If you're coming in summer, then the following applies

1. Cascade Pass in the North Cascades is a great hike. Cascade Pass

2. I like 410 better than 12. Better views of Rainier from the Tipsoo lake area. (There's a great hike there around Naches Peak. Tipsoo Lake-Naches Peak Loop The drive down to reconnect with 12 is nice, and less crowded.

3. It takes 2 1/2 hours or so from Diablo to the parking area at Mount Baker. You can get to a different hike on the south side of the mountain, Park Butte, that has outstanding views. Park Butte It'll be about 90 minutes to get there from Diablo.

4. All of the National Park campgrounds are nice. The state park campgrounds in the area are nice as well. Get reservations before you come, though- they can fill up, especially on weekends.

Thanks for the tips! Deciding between hikes and driving routes are so tough! I've been to Mt. Rainier several times, hiked the Skyline Trail twice, hiked around Sunrise, and just last year we hiked that very Tipsoo Lake-Naches Peak loop hike. It was a very beautiful hike!
Two of my photos from that hike:



Do you know about these hikes near Mt. Baker? I can only do one though, unless I take out another hike.
-Skyline Divide
-Chain Lakes
-Ptarmigan Ridge
-Table Mountain
-Yellow Aster Butte
Plus, the one you told me of:
-Park Butte

If so, which of these hikes do you think is best suited for our purposes. We'll probably only have time for 3 major hikes, one per day. The other day might be spent at visitor centers and relaxing/boating on Diablo Lake, and the last three with hikes. That means we'll likely only be able to do one of the hikes above.

Probably something like this:

Day 1.

Drive to Mt. Rainier NP via I-5

Day 2.

Drive to North Cascades NP via U.S. 97

Day 3.

Long hike somewhere at Mt. Baker or Mt. Shuksan

Day 4.

Visitor center/relax/short nearby hike?? If we hike the south side of Baker, then most likely on this day we'd visit Picture Lake and Artist Point)

Day 5.

Long hike somewhere near the Washington Pass area.

Day 6.

Long hike (Cascade Pass and Salahe Arm)

Day 7.

Drive home via I-5, perhaps passing over Deception Pass and the San Juan Island areas.

Do you have any suggestions for Washington Pass hikes?

[sean98125]

There's no visitor center at Mount Baker, so don't expect the big interpretive exhibits like you'd find at Paradise or Sunrise. In the summer there isn't even a cafe or food service place open up there. The ski areas are all closed. (This might have changed in the few years since I've been up there.)

97 and westbound 20 is a great drive.

I haven't hiked much around Washington Pass, so can't offer much. Check out Washington Trails Association for good hike descriptions and trip reports, though.

[nei]

By Washington Pass, the Cutthroat Pass Trail is nice one that could break up the drive. There's another popular loop trail can't remember the name.