North Cascades
North of Seattle, where Washington meets British Columbia, you can find one of the least visited national parks in the lower 48 states. With only 30,000 visitors a year (compare that to the 3 million+ that visit Olympic National Park each year), and most of those coming in the summer months, this is one of the best places in the world to reconnect with nature.
But despite the lack of visitors, North Cascades is perhaps the most interesting park in the lower 48. It contains the most expansive glacial system and the highest degree of flora biodiversity in the contiguous United States. Given that it’s only 100 miles from Seattle, and even closer to Vancouver, it’s one of the most accessible parks during the summer months.
Land of Disappearing Towns
Dotting the Cascades this far north are a series of small towns, most with less than 1000 inhabitants each. These towns were founded to support a single industry as European settlers moved across the Cascades in the late 19th century.
One such town is Concrete.
Orignally settled in 1890, European settlers found clay and lime deposits near by, making it the perfect place for a cement factory. Operating for decades, a town grew around the plant and a post office, high school and more were eventually built.
The plant has since shuttered, but the bones and structure still remain. The town is of shell of its former self, relying heavily on tourists making the trip across the Cascades on Route 20.
Fun Fact: A young Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert Deniro filmed the 1993 movie This Boy’s Life in Concrete.
Ross Lake Dam
23 miles south of the Canadian border is the Ross Dam. This concrete arch dam is 540 feet tall, and 1,300 feet long. It’s part of a series of 3 dams built on the Skagit River, which includes Diablo Dam and Gorge Dam. Together, the electricity generated from these 3 dams powers more than 90% of Seattle.
A quick 1-mile hike takes you down to the dam. Beyond the amazing views the dam offers, there’s plenty of trails on the far side of the lake.
