Doing the Cascades Loop - The North Cascades Highway
Off for more explorations on day two of our Cascades Loop trip.
We didn’t really feel like hiking (there are tons of hiking trails along this stretch of highway) so we decided to drive along the North Cascades Highway, and stop when something looked interesting. We made stops at the Visitors Center, Ladder Creek Falls, at the Gorge Creek Bridge, a few smaller waterfalls, and of course at Diablo Lake.
Ladder Creek Falls was a nice surprise with lots of moss, ferns, and blooming rhody’s along the trail. The water was so clear! And nothing beats the sound of water in a rocky creek.
Ladder Creek Falls
Ladder Creek Falls Trail
Diablo Lake, Washington
If you have any fear of heights then you should skip walking out on the Gorge Creek Falls Bridge. Not only is it very high, it has see through grating, and shakes with traffic. Nice view. Scott enjoyed it. It wasn’t worth it for me.
Diablo Lake is gorgeous. I would really like to come back in the summer and explore it some more. It was cold and windy while we were there, and I’m told the color of the lake changes when the sky’s are blue.
There are SO many waterfalls along this road! I think there were at least 20 just between Diablo Lake and the Washington Pass Overlook alone. It was the end of May as we did this trip. I suspect that some of these waterfalls dry up when the weather is less rainy.
It was foggy at the top by the Washington Pass Overlook, and the gate wasn’t open yet for the summer season. It would have been a much longer walk without getting the view at the end. We decided to skip it for now and come back another day if the weather improved.
Cascades Highway Waterfall
Pyramid Creek, Cascades highway
Twenty more miles and we made it to our next stopping point – Mazama. We ventured into Winthrop for some dinner at Three Fingered Jack, and a walk on the boardwalk. Then we drove around for a bit to take in the views. The Methow Valley really is quite beautiful.
Next: The Washington Pass Overlook