The North Central Cascades of Washington State cover the eastern slopes of the North Cascades, a geologically distinct sub-range consisting of steep peaks, deep lakes and a melange of rock types. The small towns nestled in the narrow valleys are the premier mountain resorts of the Pacific Northwest. The foothills that roll towards the Columbia River make for some of the most productive fruit growing regions in the country, including the famous Washington apples exported across the world.
Cities
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This region consists of Kittitas, Chelan and Okanogan counties.
Kittitas County
[edit]- 1 Ellensburg — home of Central Washington University and the Ellensburg Rodeo. County seat of Kittitas County
- 2 Cle Elum — where Northern Exposure was filmed
- 3 Vantage
Chelan County
[edit]- 4 Wenatchee — the "Apple Capital of the World". County seat of Chelan County
- 5 Cashmere — town with a candy factory
- 6 Chelan — ride a ferry up 50-mile Lake Chelan to the historic and unique town of Stehekin
- 7 Leavenworth — a Bavarian-themed village
Okanogan County
[edit]- 8 Okanogan — county seat of Okanogan County
- 9 Brewster
- 10 Conconully
- 11 Elmer City
- 12 Nespelem
- 13 Omak
- 14 Oroville
- 15 Pateros
- 16 Tonasket
- 17 Twisp
- 18 Winthrop — a town with the feel of the Old West frontier
Other destinations
[edit]- 1 Colville Indian Reservation
- 2 Grand Coulee Dam — the largest hydroelectric producer in the country
- 3 North Cascades National Park — Jagged peaks, deep valleys, cascading waterfalls and over 300 glaciers adorn the scenic North Cascades Highway
- 4 Snoqualmie Pass — a ski resort along I-90
- 5 Stevens Pass — a ski resort along US-2
Understand
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The Cascade Mountains stretch some 700 mi (1,100 km) from British Columbia down the center of Washington and into Oregon and northern California. Moist Pacific air drops rain and dries out as it blows across the mountains into the interior, transitioning from the wet west to the arid east.
Get in
[edit]By car
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East-west highways through the region include:
Interstate 90 (I-90) over Snoqualmie Pass and through Ellensburg, from Seattle, Moses Lake and Spokane.
US Highway 2 (US-2), the Stevens Pass Highway, through Wenatchee and Leavenworth, from Everett, Coulee City and Spokane.
State Route 20 (WA-20), the North Cascades Highway, through Winthrop and Omak, from Northwest Washington and Northeast Washington.
From the Seattle area to the west, you can reach the North Central Cascades by I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass to Ellensburg or US-2 over Stevens Pass to Wenatchee. Either way it is about a 2-2.5 hour drive.
From Spokane to the east, you can take either US-2 or I-90 to the region.
US Highway 97 (US-97) connects the region to the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, across the border to Canada.
By train
[edit]- See also: Rail travel in the United States
- Amtrak, ☏ +1 215-856-7924, toll-free: +1-800-872-7245. Operates the intercity trains around the United States.
Routes stopping in the region:
- The Empire Builder starts in Seattle, goes to Edmonds and Everett then heads east towards Spokane through Leavenworth, Wenatchee and Ephrata. In Spokane the train is joined with the other branch coming up from Portland for the eastbound trip (split if going westbound) to Chicago.
By air
[edit]There is only one commercial airport in this region:
- 1 Pangborn Memorial Airport (EAT IATA) (in Wenatchee). Most of the airport is for general aviation except the thrice daily commercial flights from Seattle/Tacoma with Alaska Airlines.
It is often easier just to take a flight to Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA IATA) and then drive 2-4 hours across the mountains.
Get around
[edit]US-97 is the major north-south route, connecting Ellensburg, Wenatchee and Omak.
Public transportation is limited, especially between counties and through mountainous areas. Driving is the only practical way to see multiple places within this region.
By bus
[edit]The following are intercity buses that connect Sea-Tac to cities in the region. As public transport options offer limited to no intercounty connections, they can also be useful for travel between cities in the region.
- BellAir Airporter, (bus stops) Seattle Tacoma International Airport, Washington State Convention Center, Convention Place (prior reservations only), ☏ +1-866-235-5247. Goes up to Stanwood, Burlington/Mt Vernon, Bellingham & Blaine on one route with a separate route to the San Juan Islands ferry in Anacortes on one route, and from Sea-Tac to Cle Elum, Ellensburg & Yakima on another route. Both route originates from Seattle Tacoma International Airport. Pick-up from the Seattle Convention Center by appointment only.
- Northwestern Stage Lines (Northwest Trailways/Salt Lake City Express), (bus stops) Greyhound bus depot & King Street Amtrak station, toll-free: +1-800-366-3830. Bus service from Seattle to Spokane via Everett, Stevens Pass, Leavenworth, Wenatchee, George, Moses Lake, Ritzville. Tickets can also be booked with Salt Lake City Express and Megabus. $51 one way to Spokane, $97 round trip.
- Travel Washington Apple Line (Operated by Northwestern Trailways), (bus stop) Love's Truck Stop @ 1512 US Hwy 97 (Same stop as Greyhound.), ☏ +1 509 838-4029, [email protected]. goes north from Ellensburg to Omak via Quincy, Pateros, Wenatchee, Okanogan, etc. twice daily along US Hwy 97. See schedules.
By public transit
[edit]- Kittitas County Connector, ☏ +1 509-933-2287. Offers rides between Kittitas, Ellensburg, Cle Elum, Ronald and Roslyn. Free.
- Link Transit, ☏ +1 509-662-1155. Offers local bus service in Wenatchee and East Wenatchee and from Wenatchee to Chelan (#21); Leavenworth (#22); Manson (#21); Rock Island (#23); Cashmere (#22 & 28), etc. $1 one zone (local); $2.50 two zones ('intercity').
- Trango (Okanogan County Transit Authority), ☏ +1 509-557-6177. Operates bus routes throughout Okanogan County, including:
- Tonasket to Aeneas Valley
- Oroville to Tonasket
- Okanogan to Chelan
- Okanogan to Omak
- Okanogan to Pateros
- Tonasket to Okanogan
- Twisp to Winthrop/Mazama
- Twisp to Pateros
- Twisp to Okanogan
See
[edit]Mountain towns
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Leavenworth has built itself into a resort imitation the idyllic villages of Bavaria, in a way that some would find too kitschy if not for the steep mountain backdrops and thriving dining scene. Main street Winthrop harkens back to the Old West frontier, and small-town Roslyn was the charming backdrop of a 1990s mountain life sitcom Northern Exposure.
Scenic drives
[edit]- Mountains to Sound Greenway, a National Scenic Byway through the Central Cascades, includes the stretch of I-90 through Kittitas County.
- North Cascade Loop, a scenic drive across the North Cascades Highway, along the Columbia River Gorge, and the Stevens Pass Highway.
Do
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Hiking and backpacking
[edit]The east slopes of the Cascades are some of the most popular hiking grounds in the country, with nearly too many trails to count. Perhaps the most famous area is The Enchantments, a series of alpine likes west of Leavenworth. You can also base your exploration out of Snoqualmie Pass, Cle Elum, Stevens Pass or North Cascades National Park.
Almost every paved road that goes high enough into the mountains has a ski resort. The ski resorts in this region are Stevens Pass, Mission Ridge, Snoqualmie Pass, Loup Loup and Sitzmark.
Away from the downhill resort slopes, the Methow Valley hosts the largest network of cross-country ski trails in the world.
Lakes
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Lake Chelan is 50 mi (80 km) long and one of the deepest lakes in the nation, flanked by steep mountains. Ferries run up and down the lake daily to serve resorts and small communities not connected by road. There's no shortage of smaller lakes throughout the region, perfect for fishing, boating or taking a dip on a sunny afternoon.
Events
[edit]- Omak Stampede, early to mid-August — a large rodeo famous for the Suicide Race, where horses and riders go down a 62% slope that runs for 225 ft (69 m) into the Okanogan River.
- Ellensburg Rodeo, Labor Day Weekend — one of the largest rodeos in the Northwest.
- Village of Lights: Christmastown in Leavenworth, each day from Thanksgiving to February — The city is bright with colorful lights and snow often covers the ground.
Eat
[edit]Produce
[edit]The valleys between the Columbia River and the Cascades are highly productive fruit growing areas. Produce stands line rural highways during the summer and autumn.
Apples are one of Washington's biggest exports with over 100 million boxes of apples picked every year and shipped around the globe. Wenatchee proclaims itself as "The Apple Capital of the World".
A wide variety of other crops are grown, from wheat to potatoes to asparagus to onions to nuts.
Meats
[edit]Leavenworth, in the spirit of Bavaria, has no shortage of sausage and other German-ish cuisine. Cle Elum has two busy meat markets that distribute throughout the region.
Drink
[edit]Stay safe
[edit]On the North Cascades Highway, there is no gas between Marblemount and Mazama, about 70 mi (110 km). There is also no cell phone coverage from Ross Lake to Mazama.
Winter driving conditions can be dangerous and slippery, as snow can fall in feet per hour. Mountain passes sometimes close for avalanche control and may effect travel plans. Check the Washington State Department of Transportation for current conditions. Snoqualmie Pass, to the south, closes less frequently than Stevens Pass.
Wildfires burn parts of the North Cascades nearly every summer, as the Pacific Northwest receives very little rain during that time. Respect campfire bans and park closures, and don't be careless with fire. When the National Weather Service issues a Red Flag Warning, plan your hike carefully, as a new fire might block your path out. Smoke from wildfires can also cause respiratory distress.
Go next
[edit]- Columbia River Plateau
- Northeast Washington
- Northwest Washington
- Puget Sound – The most populous region of the Pacific Northwest, with the Emerald City of Seattle and the massive Mount Rainier.
- The Thompson-Okanagan region of British Columbia – Canada's destination for wineries and fun-in-the-sun.