One Of America's Most Underrated National Parks Is Also The Snowiest
By Mina Elwell
VACATIONS
Washington state's North Cascades National Park is one of the least-visited national parks in the U.S., but its icy lakes and snow-capped mountains are well worth visiting.
North Cascades is among the snowiest places on the planet. The park gets its name from the North Cascade Range, a collection of peaks with cold, clear glacial streams and lakes.
This is real wilderness, and traversing this park is not for everyone. The park is home to wild creatures like gray wolves, grizzly bears, cougars, otters, bobcats, and lynx.
North Cascades has tricky trails and incredible views. The trails at higher elevations are snowy for most of the year, and in the winter, the whole park is blanketed in snow.
You can visit the park for free, but you will need to pay to reserve a campsite. Tent camping is allowed, but if you're coming in winter, you may prefer a drive-in site with an RV.