Marked by the massive bulk of Liberty Bell and Early Winters spires, Highway 20 — also known as the North Cascades Scenic Highway — is a designated byway located on the Cascade Loop. It is surrounded by jagged peaks and valleys, waterfalls and more than 300 glaciers within the North Cascades National Park. Several peaks rise well above 9,000 feet in elevation! Not surprisingly, hiking, climbing and camping are hugely popular here. (A nice perk about North Cascades National Park is that there is no entry fee, a rarity among national parks.) 

Continue onward and upward until you reach the brilliant turquoise-colored Ross and Diablo lakes. Views from these glacier-fed lakes reach north to Canada and south into the most-glaciated valley in North America outside of Alaska. Colonial Creek and Newhalem campgrounds offer the most vehicle-accessible campsites in the park with summer programs and ancient forest hikes.

Newhalem

Chat with park rangers, check out maps, exhibits, audio-visual displays, trails and viewpoints at the North Cascades National Park Visitor Center. Learn about local history and stretch your legs at the Skagit Information Center, nearby Ladder Creek Falls Trail, and the Trail of the Cedars (see permit info.)

Marblemount & Rockport

Marblemount is the first full-service community you reach on the western slope of Highway 20. Rockport State Park offers numerous places to hike through forests with sweeping views of the Skagit River (see permit info.) The upper Skagit Valley supports a growing list of recreational experiences including fishing, camping, river rafting, snowmobiling, hiking and wildlife watching.

Next, continue west toward the Skagit Wild and Scenic River System, which includes the Cascade, Sauk and Suiattle rivers. These clean, rushing waters are home to five species of Pacific salmon, as well as two species of trout. Nearly 300 species of wildlife populate the area, including black-tailed deer, elk, black bear, bald eagle, great blue heron and osprey. High-mountain glaciers feed the Skagit watershed, flowing south from British Columbia to provide ideal conditions for migratory birds. Bird-watchers, this is a place where you’ll want to have your binoculars handy!

Concrete

The historic town of Concrete was fittingly named when it served as a cement production center that supplied cement for neighboring Ross and Diablo dams. Start your day here with an epic cinnamon roll served up by the friendly staff at 5b’s Bakery. Then, for lunch or dinner, grab an award-winning slice of pizza, calzone or the signature cal-sub at Annie’s Pizza Station. Stroll the historic town center, visit the community garden, or get wet in the spray park at Silo Park.