North Cascades
Spectacular mountain scenary defines the North Cascades with the imposing volcano Mt. Baker to the west and the rugged peaks of the North Cascades National Park in the heart of the region. Diverse habitats host forest and montane species. Lower elevation conifer forests give way to alpine parkland and finally permanent snow and ice. As is typical in the Cascades, the habitat varies from the wet western slope forest to the drier forest found on the eastern slope. Much of the area is inaccessible in winter - US 20, the northern route through the mountains, typically closes in the fall and remains closed until April or May. More from Birdweb.

Birding Trails

Birding Sites

  1. County Line Ponds
  2. Hardy Burn
  3. Rainy Pass
  4. Rockport State Park
  5. Big Four Ice Caves

More Sites

North Cascades Audubon has site information for Whatcom County (including sites in the Puget Trough Region).

Camping

Lodging

On the west side of the region the small city of Bellingham lies close to Mt. Baker. Otherwise, the towns are few and small in this area. The towns of the Methow Valley (Winthrop, Twisp, Mazama) service the east side of the region. The Methow Valley is a popular cross-country skiing destination and has a fair number of B&B's.