North Cascades National Park

Less than three hours from Seattle, an alpine landscape beckons. Discover communities of life adapted to moisture in the west and recurring fire in the east. Explore jagged peaks crowned by more than 300 glaciers. Listen to cascading waters in forested valleys. Witness a landscape sensitive to the Earth's changing climate. Help steward the ecological heart of the Cascades.

Weather & conditions

The best weather for visiting the North Cascades generally occurs between mid-June and late-September. Summer daytime temperatures average in the 70's F. Snow is off most trails by mid-July. Autumn and Spring are popular for color and wildlife. Storms are common: always be prepared for a few days of rain and wind. The east side of the Cascade Mountains (Lake Chelan National Recreation Area) is drier and warmer in the summer than the west side. Summer temperatures at Stehekin reach the 90's F.

What this latitude gives you

From 48.7° north, anything above declination +41.3° is circumpolar here: it never sets, so it is available on every clear night of the year. Anything below declination -41.3° never clears the horizon at all.

At this latitude the sun does not drop 18 degrees below the horizon around the June solstice, so there is no astronomical darkness at midsummer at all. Plan deep-sky work for the months either side of it.

We do not hold a measured Bortle class for this site, so treat the sky as unknown until you have taken a reading of your own.