The North Cascades National Park Service Complex preserves some of the finest mountain country in North America—a hiker’s smorgasbord. From accessible trails and short, scenic strolls to steep, grueling hikes that will make your legs burn but your heart sing, there is a trail here that will suit your mood. The extreme gradients of climate and topography contribute to an impressive diversity of habitat and species. To navigate the incredibly steep elevational relief, the nearly 400 miles of trails often follow the long, forested, valley bottoms, then switchback up to the steep passes or ridges. Over 300 glaciers cling to the spires, peaks, horns and ridges of the surrounding mountains, and more than 127 alpine lakes lie in glacial cirque basins below. The valleys are narrow, deep, and U-shaped, covered on the lower reaches with dense stands of old trees and layers of green undergrowth.
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