North Cascades Scenic Highway

Burlington, Washington is a charming city located in Skagit County. It serves as a hub for shopping, dining, and outdoor recreation in the Pacific Northwest. The city is known for its proximity to the scenic Skagit Valley, which boasts stunning tulip fields, hiking trails, and access to the nearby Cascade Mountains. Burlington also has a strong retail presence, with shopping centers and local businesses catering to residents and visitors alike.

History-rich Sedro-Woolley is named for two towns originally associated with logging and railroads that were combined in 1898. Home of the North Cascades National Park headquarters office and the gateway to the North Cascades, Sedro-Woolley strives to provide great outdoor recreation as well as dining options for travelers through the region. Stroll downtown and you will see amazing wooden chainsaw carvings. Riverfront Park and off-leash Bark Park are great opportunities for you and your pup to enjoy outdoor activities. The annual Loggerodeo event is the longest running Fourth of July celebration in the state of Washington.

Newhalem and the surrounding area is home to several accessible trails, including the Sterling Munro Boardwalk, the Trail of the Cedars, and the Rock Shelter Trail. By crossing the Skagit River via footbridge at the Gorge Powerhouse, visitors can hike to the top of Ladder Creek Falls and experience the sights and sounds of a glacier-fed waterfall. Nearby Gorge Powerhouse contains a visitor gallery that is open to the public and provides a look at the workings of a hydroelectric plant, as well as the history of the Skagit Hydroelectric Project.

Enjoy views of glacier-fed Diablo Lake, located in the scenic North Cascades. Rugged mountains rise around the lake, and historic Diablo Dam can be seen in the distance. Learn about water, geology, glaciers, and native plants and animals. In summer, the lake’s distinctive turquoise color results from suspended fine rock particles refracting sunlight. The rock particles, called glacial flour, enter the lake when rock from the mountains is eroded by ice and flows into the water through glacial streams. The color is most vibrant on sunny days in July, August, and September, when seasonal glacial melt occurs.

Welcome to Winthrop - a tiny old Western town with old-fashioned boardwalks, fabulous boutiques, restaurants, luxurious to cozy overnight accommodations, and every outdoor recreational pursuit you might desire! Pristine Okanogan National Forest is nearby. Winthrop is a year-round wonderland acclaimed for the largest network of cross-country ski trails in the Western Hemisphere. We are a year-round getaway destination you'll want to experience for yourself.

Located in the heart of Methow Valley, nestled into the foothills of the North Cascades, Twisp is a vibrant center for art, culture and adventure, with a down-to-earth atmosphere and friendly attitude. Stop by Twisp’s downtown art gallery, relax in its riverside park, relax at its boutique spa, or take in an evening of theater. Enjoy Italian fine dining, finger-licking BBQ, pizza, burgers, tacos and more – or stop in to enjoy international wine tastings, savor award-winning microbrews from an on-site taproom, or get energized with world-class, locally-brewed coffee.