July 8, 2025
North Cascades was the last park of our 2025 Washington trip. The Cascade Mountains, also known as the “American Alps,” stretch from British Columbia to Northern California, and they include well-known peaks like Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Hood. This national park, along the Canadian border, is the 7th-least visited park in the United States (according to 2025 data). It’s a fairly remote and rugged area which might explain the lack of visitors.
I digress to mention that before visiting North Cascades, we convinced my brother Peter and his children to join us in exploring Ebey’s Landing, a historic reserve on Whidbey Island named after one of the early settlers in Washington State. One thing led to another and before we knew it, our day at Ebey’s Landing had expanded to include Deception Pass, a 180-foot bridge connecting Whidbey Island with the mainland, and the little town of Coupeville, one of the oldest towns in Washington State (dating from the 1850’s).
We were proud of ourselves for attempting this bridge crossing with eight rambunctious children. The pedestrian sidewalk is thrillingly narrow, right next to cars speeding by, and the wind is quite fierce. We held on to everyone tightly and enjoyed the incredible views.
We walked the tiny streets of Coupeville, including the famous wharf, and ended up at a small museum filled with local history. Two memorable moments from our time in Coupeville: 1) Rachel, age five, was the last in a long line of children straggling into the museum and missed the entrance. Before we noticed she was missing, a woman saw her alone outside and called the sheriff. We ran out to find her a few minutes later and a group of friendly construction workers on the street pointed us to the sheriff, who had Rachel safe and sound. Like the Good Shepherd, we were overjoyed to have our little lost lamb back in the flock. The whole experience made us grateful for a small town where people look out for each other, just like in the old days.
2) As we wandered through the museum, we spotted an antique piano with a few pages of sheet music taped above it. An elderly docent explained that this song, published in 1932, is a tribute to Whidbey Island titled “Where the waves of Juan de Fuca kiss the sands of Whidby Isle” by James Zylstra. It’s essentially the town’s theme song! When our guide mentioned he had never heard the song (there is no known recording of it), Peter asked if he could play it on the piano – and surprisingly the answer was yes! It felt like we were stepping into history as we listened to a stirring rendition of this historic piece of music on a piano from the 1880’s.
We had a beautiful day to visit the Ebey homestead and walk the famous bluff trail. It was a terrific time: a picnic with cousins, piggyback rides, and the chance to thoughtfully chew on a grass stalk just like a farmer in the 1800’s. We met an older couple who pointed out the Seattle skyline in the distance. After lunch we said goodbye to the Squicciarini crowd and made plans for a whale watching tour the next morning!
Back to North Cascades: we started at the visitor center with a park film featuring a multiracial couple describing how they enjoy spending time in this stolen Native American land. When we walked out on the Sterling Munro boardwalk, we had a glimpse of the park’s famous snowcapped peaks.
As we drove through the park, I was surprised to see a giant power plant in the middle of it. The Skagit River Hydroelectric Project maintains power stations throughout the park connected to several of the dams, and their employees actually live inside the park, in a small town called Newhalem. There are power lines everywhere, but the views are still incredible.
We parked by the shore of Diablo Lake and raced down to splash around. The water is truly an emerald green – the vivid color comes from mineral deposits. The water was icy, perfect for a hot summer day, and there was no one else in sight.
We returned to the main park road and set out on the Ross Dam trail, wondering about going all the way down to the dam, but we stopped at Happy Creek for a picnic and a long chat with a fellow national park family instead.
As the sun began to set, we headed out for a quiet golden hour hike on the Trail of the Cedars, marveling at the size of the trees and the beauty all around us. The serenity of this park was a welcome change of pace from crowded places like Glacier and Olympic.
See you next time, North Cascades!
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