List of nature centers in Washington (state)
Table:
Name

Location

County

Region

Summary

Adriana Hess Audubon Center
University Place
Pierce
Puget Sound
website, located in Adriana Hess Wetland Park, operated by the Tahoma Audubon Society

Camp Long (Seattle, Washington)
Seattle
King
Puget Sound
website, operated by the City, 68 acres, park and nature center, environmental education and rock climbing classes

Carkeek Park
Seattle
King
Puget Sound
216 acres, operated by the City, center open for programs or rentals only

Cedar River Watershed Education Center
North Bend
King
Puget Sound
website, regional education facility about the Cedar River watershed, located on Rattlesnake Lake, operated by Seattle Public Utilities

Coastal Interpretive Center
Ocean Shores
Grays Harbor
Southwest
website, hands-on natural history museum, also exhibits about culture of coastal living, geology

Dash Point State Park
Federal Way
King
Puget Sound
398 acres, nature center opened in 2012

Discovery Park
Seattle
King
Puget Sound
534 acres, operated by the City, features the Discovery Park Environmental Learning Center

Dungeness River Audubon Center
Sequim
Clallam
Olympic Peninsula
website, located in Railroad Bridge Park

Feiro Marine Life Center
Port Angeles
Clallam
Olympic Peninsula
website, aquarium and marine environmental education and conservation

Forest Learning Center
Mount St. Helens
Skamania

website, operated by Weyerhaeuser, exhibits on the eruption of Mount St. Helens, forest recovery, reforestation and conservation of forest resources

Fox Island Nature Center
Fox Island
Pierce
Puget Sound
website, 5 acres, operated by the community

IslandWood
Bainbridge Island
Kitsap
Puget Sound
255 acres, outdoor learning center

Lake Hills Greenbelt Ranger Station

Bellevue

King

Puget Sound

An educational visitor center that provides information, environmental programs, p-patch garden plots, master gardener demonstration gardens, and interpretive displays.

Lewis Creek Park Visitor Center

Bellevue

King

Puget Sound

Multipurpose interpretive center provides visitors with Bellevue Parks and regional system information, family programs and recreational opportunities.

Marine Life Center
Bellingham
Whatcom
Puget Sound
website, operated by the Northwest Discovery Project, aquarium and marine environmental education, owned by the City

MaST - Marine Science and Technology Center
Des Moines
King
Puget Sound
Marine laboratory and education center for Highline Community College, open to the public on Saturdays

Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center

Bellevue

King

Puget Sound

A collaboration between the City of Bellevue and the Pacific Science Center. Family ranger programs and curriculum based school and group programming focusing on freshwater wetland ecosystems and their importance to the region. Visitor's center has interactive, interpretive exhibits about Mercer Slough's 320 acre wetland habitats.

Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge
Olympia
Thurston
Puget Sound
3,914 acres, visitor center exhibits, environmental education programs

Nisqually Reach Nature Center
Olympia
Thurston
Puget Sound
website, education and research about the environment of the Nisqually Estuary of the Nisqually River

North Cascades Environmental Learning Center

Whatcom
Puget Sound
website, a field campus in North Cascades National Park, operated by the North Cascades Institute on Diablo Lake

Taking into account the accompanying table as well as the article excerpts provided at the end.

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University Place is a city in Pierce County , Washington , United States . Its population was 31,144 at the 2010 census . Based on per capita income , University Place ranks 81st of 522 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked .
Pierce County is a county in the U.S. state of Washington . As of the 2010 Census , the population was 795,225 , making it the second-most populous county in Washington behind King County , and the 63rd-most populous in the United States . The county seat and largest city is Tacoma . Formed out of Thurston County on December 22 , 1852 , by the legislature of Oregon Territory , it was named for U.S. President Franklin Pierce . Pierce County is in the Seattle metropolitan area ( formally the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue , WA metropolitan statistical area ) . Pierce County is notable for being home to Mount Rainier , the tallest mountain and a volcano in the Cascade Range . Its most recent recorded eruption was between 1820 and 1854 . There is no imminent risk of eruption , but geologists expect that the volcano will erupt again . If this should happen , parts of Pierce County and the Puyallup Valley would be at risk from lahars , lava , or pyroclastic flows . The Mount Rainier Volcano Lahar Warning System was established in 1998 to assist in the evacuation of the Puyallup River valley in case of eruption .
Seattle ( /siˈætəl/ ( listen ) see-AT-əl ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States . It is the seat of King County , Washington . With an estimated 744,955 residents as of 2018 [ update ] , Seattle is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America . According to U.S. Census data released in 2018 , the Seattle metropolitan area 's population stands at 3.94 million , and ranks as the 15th largest in the United States . In July 2013 , it was the fastest-growing major city in the United States and remained in the top 5 in May 2015 with an annual growth rate of 2.1% . In July 2016 , Seattle was again the fastest-growing major U.S. city , with a 3.1% annual growth rate . Seattle is the northernmost large city in the United States . The city is situated on an isthmus between Puget Sound ( an inlet of the Pacific Ocean ) and Lake Washington , about 100 miles ( 160 km ) south of the Canada-United States border . A major gateway for trade with Asia , Seattle is the fourth-largest port in North America in terms of container handling as of 2015 [ update ] . The Seattle area was inhabited by Native Americans for at least 4,000 years before the first permanent European settlers . Arthur A. Denny and his group of travelers , subsequently known as the Denny Party , arrived from Illinois via Portland , Oregon , on the schooner Exact at Alki Point on November 13 , 1851 . The settlement was moved to the eastern shore of Elliott Bay and named Seattle in 1852 , in honor of Chief Si'ahl of the local Duwamish and Suquamish tribes .
King County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington . The population was 2,233,163 in the 2018 census estimate , making it the most populous county in Washington , and the 12th-most populous in the United States . The county seat is Seattle , also the state 's most populous city . King County is one of three Washington counties that are included in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metropolitan statistical area . ( The others are Snohomish County to the north , and Pierce County to the south . ) About two-thirds of King County 's population lives in Seattle 's suburbs .
The Puget Sound region is a coastal area of the Pacific Northwest in the U.S. state of Washington , including Puget Sound , the Puget Sound lowlands , and the surrounding region roughly west of the Cascade Range and east of the Olympic Mountains . It is characterized by a complex array of saltwater bays , islands , and peninsulas carved out by prehistoric glaciers . Poet Robert Sund called the Puget Sound region Ish River country , owing to its numerous rivers with names ending in ish , such as the Duwamish , Samish , Sammamish , Skokomish , Skykomish , Snohomish , and the Stillaguamish . The ish ending is from Salishan languages and means people of .
Carkeek Park is a 216 acres ( 87 ha ) park located in the Broadview neighborhood of Seattle , Washington . The park contains Piper Orchard , Pipers Creek ( and its tributaries Venema Creek and Mohlendorph Creek ) , play and picnic areas , picnic shelters , and hiking trails . A pedestrian bridge across the main lines of the BNSF Railway connects to the Carkeek Park sand beach on Puget Sound . Park program activities are largely out of the Carkeek Park Environmental Learning Center .
North Bend is a city in King County , Washington , United States , on the outskirts of the Seattle metropolitan area . The population was 5,731 at the 2010 census and an estimated 7,136 in 2018 . Since the closure of Weyerhaeuser 's Snoqualmie sawmill , North Bend has become a prosperous bedroom community for Seattle , located about 30 miles ( 48 km ) to the west . The town was made famous by David Lynch 's television series Twin Peaks , which was partially filmed in North Bend . The community is also home to Nintendo North Bend , the main North American production facility and distribution center for the video game console manufacturer Nintendo .
The Cedar River is a river in the U.S. state of Washington . About 45 miles ( 72 km ) long , it originates in the Cascade Range and flows generally west and northwest , emptying into the southern end of Lake Washington . Its upper watershed is a protected area called the Cedar River Watershed , which provides drinking water for the greater Seattle area . The Cedar River drains into Puget Sound via Lake Washington and the Lake Washington Ship Canal .
Rattlesnake Lake is a lake in the northwest United States , located in Rattlesnake Mountain Scenic Area in King County , Washington , approximately thirty miles ( 50 km ) east of Seattle , south of Interstate 90 .
Seattle Public Utilities ( SPU ) is a public utility agency of the city of Seattle , Washington , which provides water , sewer , drainage and garbage services for 1.3 million people in King County , Washington . The agency was established in 1997 , consolidating the city 's Water Department with other city functions .
Ocean Shores is a city in Grays Harbor County , Washington , United States . The population was 5,569 at the 2010 census .
Grays Harbor County is a county in the U.S. state of Washington . As of the 2010 census , the population was 72,797 . The county seat is Montesano , and its largest city is Aberdeen . Grays Harbor County comprises the Aberdeen , WA Micropolitan Statistical Area .
Dash Point State Park is a 398-acre ( 161 ha ) Washington state park on Puget Sound that straddles the line between King and Pierce counties . The park has over 3,300 feet ( 1,000 m ) of shoreline , 140 campsites , 11 miles of trails for hiking and mountain biking , and offers beachcombing , fishing , swimming , birdwatching , windsurfing , skimboarding , and wildlife viewing . Dash Point is located across Commencement Bay from downtown Tacoma .
Federal Way is a city in King County , Washington , United States . It is a city within the Seattle metropolitan area . The population was 89,306 at the 2010 census and an estimated 97,044 in 2018 . Federal Way is the tenth largest city in Washington and the fifth largest in King County , according to the Census Bureau 's 2018 population estimate .
Discovery Park is a 534-acre ( 2.16 km2 ) park on the shores of Puget Sound in the Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle , Washington . It is the city 's largest public park and contains 11.81 miles ( 19.01 km ) of walking trails . United Indians of All Tribes ' Daybreak Star Cultural Center is within the park 's boundaries . A lighthouse is located on West Point , the westernmost point of the park and the entire city of Seattle , and on the south side of the North Beach strip is a sewage treatment plant , but it is almost entirely concealed from the marsh , beach , and trail . The Discovery Park Loop Trail , designated a National Recreation Trail in 1975 , runs 2.8 miles ( 4.5 km ) through the park , connecting to other trails . The park is built on the historic grounds of Fort Lawton ; most of the Fort Lawton Historic District ( FLHD ) falls within the park ( although an enclave within the district remains in military hands ) , as does the West Point Lighthouse . Both the FLHD and the lighthouse are on the National Register of Historic Places . Forests , beaches , prairies , and bluffs dominate the landscape of the park .
Sequim /ˈskwɪm/ ( listen ) is a city in Clallam County , Washington , United States . The 2010 census counted a population of 6,606 . With the surrounding area , the population is about 28,000 . The population served by the Sequim School District population was close to 29,000 in 2018 . Sequim lies within the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains and receives on average less than 16 inches ( 410 mm ) of rain per year - about the same as Los Angeles , California - leading it to give itself the nickname of Sunny Sequim . However , the city is relatively close to some of the wettest temperate rainforests of the contiguous United States . This climate anomaly is sometimes called the Blue Hole of Sequim . Fogs and cool breezes from the Juan de Fuca Strait make Sequim 's climate more humid than would be expected from the low average annual precipitation . Some places have surprisingly luxuriant forests dominated by Douglas-fir and western red cedar . Black cottonwood , red alder , bigleaf maple , Pacific madrone , lodgepole pine , and Garry oak can also be large . Historically , much of the area was an open oak-studded prairie supported by somewhat excessively drained gravelly sandy loam soil , though agriculture and development of the Dungeness valley have changed this ecosystem . Most soils under Sequim have been placed in a series that is named after the city .
Clallam County is a county in the U.S. state of Washington . As of the 2010 census , the population was 71,404 . The county seat and largest city is Port Angeles . The name is a Klallam word for the strong people . The county was formed on April 26 , 1854 . Located on the Olympic Peninsula , it is south from the Strait of Juan de Fuca , which forms the Canada-US border , as British Columbia 's Vancouver Island is across the strait . Clallam County comprises the Port Angeles , WA Micropolitan Statistical Area .
The Olympic Peninsula is the large arm of land in western Washington that lies across Puget Sound from Seattle , and contains Olympic National Park . It is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean , the north by the Strait of Juan de Fuca , and the east by Hood Canal . Cape Alava , the westernmost point in the contiguous United States , and Cape Flattery , the northwesternmost point , are on the peninsula . Comprising about 3600 square miles , the Olympic Peninsula contained many of the last unexplored places in the Contiguous United States . It remained largely unmapped until Arthur Dodwell and Theodore Rixon mapped most of its topography and timber resources between 1898 and 1900 .
The Dungeness River Bridge is the centerpiece of Railroad Bridge Park near the town of Sequim , Washington . It crosses the Dungeness River . The bridge was first constructed by the Seattle , Port Angeles , and Western Railway , a subsidiary of the Chicago , Milwaukee , St. Paul and Pacific Railroad ( also known as the Milwaukee Road ) in 1916 . Because of the ready availability of timber , the bridge was built of wood . This first bridge was replaced in 1930 . The new bridge was also built of timber , and like its predecessor , is a through Howe truss 156 feet long and 22 feet high . Two wooden trestles are on the east and west approaches . After the Milwaukee Road 's bankruptcy , the bridge was left abandoned . In 1992 volunteers began to work on the bridge and replace planking and created a bike trail . In 1995 , the property surrounding the bridge was purchased by the Washington State Audubon Society , which then created the Dungeness River Center and a park , called Railroad Bridge Park . The bike path through the park and over the bridge is connected to the Olympic Discovery Trail , a rails-to-trails initiative . The bridge was listed in the National Register of Historic Places due to its being one of the last timber Howe through truss railroad bridges still remaining in Washington .
Port Angeles /ˈændʒəliːz/ is a city in and the county seat of Clallam County , Washington , United States . With a population of 19,038 as of the 2010 census , it is the largest city in the county . The population was estimated at 20,076 in 2018 by the Office of Financial Management . The City 's harbor was dubbed Puerto de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles ( Port of Our Lady of the Angels ) by Spanish explorer Francisco de Eliza in 1791 . By the mid-19th century , after settlement by English speakers from the United States , the name was shortened and partially anglicized to its current form , Port Angeles Harbor . Port Angeles is home to Peninsula College . It is the birthplace of football hall of famer John Elway and residents include writers and artists . The city is served by William R. Fairchild International Airport . Ferry service is provided across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Victoria , British Columbia , Canada on the MV Coho .
Mount St. Helens ( known as Lawetlat'la to the indigenous Cowlitz people , and Loowit or Louwala-Clough to the Klickitat ) is an active stratovolcano located in Skamania County , Washington , in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States . It is 50 miles ( 80 km ) northeast of Portland , Oregon and 96 miles ( 154 km ) south of Seattle , Washington . Mount St. Helens takes its English name from the British diplomat Lord St Helens , a friend of explorer George Vancouver who made a survey of the area in the late 18th century . The volcano is located in the Cascade Range and is part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc , a segment of the Pacific Ring of Fire that includes over 160 active volcanoes . This volcano is well known for its ash explosions and pyroclastic flows . Mount St. Helens is most notorious for its major eruption on May 18 , 1980 , the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in U.S. history . Fifty-seven people were killed ; 250 homes , 47 bridges , 15 miles ( 24 km ) of railways , and 185 miles ( 298 km ) of highway were destroyed . A massive debris avalanche , triggered by an earthquake of magnitude 5.1 , caused a lateral eruption that reduced the elevation of the mountain 's summit from 9,677 ft ( 2,950 m ) to 8,363 ft ( 2,549 m ) , leaving a 1 mile ( 1.6 km ) wide horseshoe-shaped crater . The debris avalanche was up to 0.7 cubic miles ( 2.9 km3 ) in volume . The Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument was created to preserve the volcano and allow for the eruption 's aftermath to be scientifically studied . As with most other volcanoes in the Cascade Range , Mount St. Helens is a large eruptive cone consisting of lava rock interlayered with ash , pumice , and other deposits . The mountain includes layers of basalt and andesite through which several domes of dacite lava have erupted .
Skamania County /skəˈmeɪniə/ is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington . As of the 2010 census , the population was 11,066 . The county seat and largest incorporated city is Stevenson , although the Carson River Valley CDP is more populous . The county was founded in 1854 and derives its name from the Cascades Chinook word sk'mániak , meaning swift waters . Skamania County is included in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro , OR-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area .
Weyerhaeuser Company is an American timberland company which owns nearly 12.4 million acres of timberlands in the U.S. and manages an additional 14.0 million acres timberlands under long-term licenses in Canada . The company also manufactures wood products . Weyerhaeuser is a real estate investment trust .
Fox Island is an island and census-designated place ( CDP ) in Pierce County , Washington , United States , in Puget Sound . It is located approximately 5 miles ( 8 km ) from Gig Harbor . The island was named Fox by Charles Wilkes during the United States Exploring Expedition , to honor J.L . Fox , an assistant surgeon on the expedition . The population was 3,633 at the 2010 census .
IslandWood is a non-profit environmental education organization with programs on Bainbridge Island , Seattle , and Woodinville in Washington .
Bainbridge Island is a city and island in Kitsap County , Washington , United States , located in Puget Sound . The population was 23,025 at the 2010 census and an estimated 24,846 in 2018 , making Bainbridge Island the second largest city in Kitsap County . In July 2005 , CNN/Money and Money magazine named Bainbridge Island the second-best place to live in the United States . In August 2013 , Bainbridge Island was recognized by Google with an eCity Award . This award recognizes the strongest online business community in each state . The local newspapers are the weekly Bainbridge Island Review , Kitsap Sun , and the Bainbridge Islander .
Kitsap County is located in the U.S. state of Washington . As of the 2010 census , its population was 251,133 . Its county seat is Port Orchard , and its largest city is Bremerton . The county was formed out of King County and Jefferson County on January 16 , 1857 , and is named for Chief Kitsap of the Suquamish Tribe . Originally named Slaughter County , it was soon renamed . Kitsap County comprises the Bremerton-Silverdale , WA Metropolitan Statistical Area , which is also included in the Seattle-Tacoma , WA Combined Statistical Area . The United States Navy is the largest employer in the county , with installations at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard , Naval Undersea Warfare Center Keyport , and Naval Base Kitsap ( which comprises former NSB Bangor , and NS Bremerton ) . Kitsap County is connected to the eastern shore of Puget Sound by Washington State Ferries routes , including the Seattle-Bremerton Ferry , Southworth to West Seattle via Vashon Island , Bainbridge Island to Downtown Seattle , and from Kingston to Edmonds , Washington .
Bellingham ( /ˈbɛlɪŋhæm/ BEL-ing-ham ) is the county seat and most populous city of Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington . Located 52 miles ( 84 km ) southeast of Vancouver , 90 miles ( 140 km ) north of Seattle , and 21 miles ( 34 km ) south of the U.S.-Canada border , Bellingham is in between two major metropolitan areas , Seattle and Vancouver , British Columbia . The city 's population was 80,885 at the 2010 United States Census . With a 2018 population estimate of 90,665 per the Washington State Office of Financial Management , Bellingham is the twelfth-most populous city in the state of Washington . The city of Bellingham was incorporated in 1903 through the consolidation of Fairhaven , Whatcom , Sehome and Bellingham : four historic towns that settled beside Bellingham Bay . The bay , where the present-day city and the former town of the same name derive their names from , was named Bellingham Bay by George Vancouver upon arriving to it in June 1792 . Its namesake , Sir William Bellingham , was the Controller of Storekeeper Accounts of the Royal Navy during the Vancouver Expedition . Today , Bellingham is the northernmost city with a population of more than 50,000 people in the contiguous United States . The city is a popular tourist destination known for its easy access to outdoor recreation in the San Juan Islands and North Cascades . Bellingham is undergoing redevelopment on more than 100 acres ( 40 ha ) of former industrial land in its Waterfront District with a hotel , conference center , condos , retirement living , retail and commercial development planned for the site .
Whatcom County /ˈwɒtkəm/ is located in the U.S. state of Washington . As of the 2010 census , the population was 201,140 . It is bordered by Canada on the north , Okanogan County on the east , Skagit County on the south , and the Strait of Georgia on the west . The county seat and largest city is Bellingham . The county was created from Island County by the Washington Territorial Legislature in March 1854 . It originally included the territory of present-day San Juan and Skagit Counties , which were later organized after additional settlement . Its name derives from the Lummi word Xwotʼqom , meaning noisy water . Whatcom County comprises the Bellingham , WA Metropolitan Statistical Area .
Highline College is a public community college in Des Moines , Washington . Highline was founded in 1961 as the first community college in King County , Washington . The main campus covers 80 acres ( 320,000 m2 ) . As of 2015 [ update ] , there were approximately 17,000 students and 350,000 alumni of the college .
Des Moines ( /dəˈmɔɪn/ də-MOYN ) is a city in King County , Washington , United States . The population was 29,673 as of the 2010 census . Des Moines is located on the east shore of Puget Sound , approximately halfway between the major cities of Seattle and Tacoma . The city is bordered by the suburbs of Federal Way to the south , Kent to the east , SeaTac to the northeast , Burien to the north , and Normandy Park to the northwest . It is one of the few points along this shoreline where the topography facilitates access to the water , and a recreational marina operated by the city , with moorage , boat launching and pier fishing facilities , is located there . Forested Saltwater State Park on a steep ravine between the Zenith and Woodmont neighborhoods is the most-used State Park on the Sound . Near the border of Federal Way , Redondo has a board-walk complete with a Salty 's restaurant and a pay parking lot . Property within the city has been the subject of land buyouts because of noise from aircraft landing or taking off from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport 2 miles ( 3.2 km ) north of Des Moines .
Pacific Science Center is an independent , non-profit science center in Seattle , Washington with a mission to ignite curiosity and fuel a passion for discovery , experimentation , and critical thinking . Pacific Science Center serves more than 1 million people each year at its campus adjacent to Seattle Center , at the Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center in Bellevue , Washington , and in communities and classrooms across the state of Washington .
The Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife preserve operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service on the Nisqually River Delta near Puget Sound in northeastern Thurston County , Washington and northwestern Pierce County , Washington . The refuge is located just off Interstate 5 , between the cities of Tacoma and Olympia .
Olympia is the capital of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat and largest city of Thurston County . European settlers claimed the area in 1846 , with the Treaty of Medicine Creek initiated in 1854 , and the Treaty of Olympia initiated in January 1856 . Olympia was incorporated as a town on January 28 , 1859 , and as a City in 1882 . The population was 46,479 as of the 2010 census , making it the 24th largest city in the state . The city borders Lacey to the east and Tumwater to the south . Olympia is a cultural center of the southern Puget Sound region . Olympia is located 60 miles ( 100 km ) southwest of Seattle , the largest city in the state of Washington .
Thurston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington . As of the 2010 census , its population was 252,264 . The county seat and largest city is Olympia , the state capital . Thurston County was created out of Lewis County by the government of Oregon Territory on January 12 , 1852 . At that time , it covered all of the Puget Sound region and the Olympic Peninsula . On December 22 of the same year , Pierce , King , Island , and Jefferson counties were split off from Thurston County . It is named after Samuel R. Thurston , the Oregon Territory 's first delegate to Congress . Thurston County comprises the Olympia-Tumwater , WA Metropolitan Statistical Area and is included in the Seattle-Tacoma , WA Combined Statistical Area .
The Nisqually River /nɪˈskwɑːli/ is a river in west central Washington in the United States , approximately 81 miles ( 130 km ) long . It drains part of the Cascade Range southeast of Tacoma , including the southern slope of Mount Rainier , and empties into the southern end of Puget Sound . Its outlet was designated in 1971 as the Nisqually Delta National Natural Landmark . The Nisqually River forms the Pierce-Lewis county line , as well as the boundary between Pierce and Thurston counties .
North Cascades National Park is an American national park in the state of Washington . At more than 500,000 acres ( 200,000 ha ) , North Cascades National Park is the largest of the three National Park Service units that comprise the North Cascades National Park Complex . North Cascades National Park consists of a northern and southern section , bisected by the Skagit River that flows through Ross Lake National Recreation Area . Lake Chelan National Recreation Area lies on the southern border of the south unit of the park . In addition to the two national recreation areas , other protected lands including several national forests and wilderness areas , as well as Canadian provincial parks in British Columbia , nearly surround the park . North Cascades National Park features the rugged mountain peaks of the North Cascades Range , the most expansive glacial system in the contiguous United States , the headwaters of numerous waterways , and vast forests with the highest degree of flora biodiversity of any American national park . The region was first settled by Paleo-Indian Native Americans ; by the time European American explorers arrived , it was inhabited by Skagit tribes . By the early 19th century , the region was visited by fur trappers and several British and American companies vied for control over the fur trade . After the Canada-United States border was set at the 49th parallel in 1846 , explorers came to chart potential routes through the mountains for roads and railroads . Limited mining and logging occurred from the late 19th century to the early 20th century . The first significant human impact in the region occurred in the 1920s when several dams were built in the Skagit River valley to generate hydroelectric power . Environmentalists then campaigned to preserve the remaining wilderness , culminating on October 2 , 1968 , with the designation of North Cascades National Park .
Diablo Lake is a reservoir in the North Cascade mountains of northern Washington state , United States . Created by Diablo Dam , the lake is located between Ross Lake and Gorge Lake on the Skagit River at an elevation of 1,201 feet ( 366 m ) above sea level . Diablo Lake is part of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project and managed by Seattle City Light . Diablo Lake Trail , designated a National Recreation Trail in 1981 , runs for 3.80 miles ( 6.12 km ) along the lake 's northern shore . The lake holds rainbow , coastal cutthroat , brook , and the federally threatened bull trout . It is a popular recreational spot for kayakers and canoeists . The unique , intense turquoise hue of the lake 's water is attributed to the surrounding glaciers that grind rocks into a fine powder that is carried into the lake through creeks . That fine powder , also called glacial flour , stays suspended in the lake , giving the water its brilliant color .