north cascade visitors center

Something for Everyone here! Beautiful lodge-style center. The educational display area has much to offer about the park's fauna and flora. Big topographical display of the park. Rangers are friendly and helpful. Nice little gift shop. Wonderful boardwalk to view of snow-capped mountains is short and easy for any age or mobility. Also, use this opportunity to get out of the car and stretch your legs on a very enjoyable 2-mile hike right out the back door of the visitor center down to the river (note that this hike involves some steep inclines and is not for those without good mobility). Center offers a free 25-minute movie, but can't really recommend it. It's rather abstract and not the historical overview you'd expect, given the diverse audiences. We did, however, have fun mimicking the movie's creepy whispering throughout the rest of our trip.

Loved the visitors center and the helpful rangers. We had a few hikes in mind, and they shared their expertise with us. Even recommended a few we hadn't considered. The place is well decorated with souvenirs and staples. It's always wise to stop in and register. You won't be sorry. That's for sure.

This is one of those wilderness centers that is part back country information, part interpretive and part museum all rolled into one. Multiple rangers on staff to help you with your camping, hiking or touring needs along with a very nice learning center complete with examples of flora and fauna, geological and weather related displays. You could spend and hour or more here but be sure to walk out the back on jump on the trail that takes you to one of the finest views I have seen short of climbing the backwoods of the Picket Mountain Range.