New group areas at Newhalem offer picnic pavilions and a modern restroom. Goodell group camps provide more rustic facilities. Thirty miles of State Route 20 access this upper area of the Skagit River Watershed, offering many of the region's best camping, hiking and boating opportunities. The free-flowing section of the Skagit River below Newhalem provides excellent rafting and wildlife observation. A raft launch is located adjacent to Goodell Creek Campground near the picnic shelter.
Careful planning is necessary to float the swift Skagit River.
Three reservoirs provide power for Seattle City Light and recreational activities for visitors. Gorge Creek Falls area, 3.5 miles east of Newhalem, has improved facilities with an accessible interpretive loop trail with views of Gorge Dam. Diablo Lake is the central jewel of the three lakes, offering the best accessibility. There are three boat-in sites along the shore of Diablo Lake, which require a free backcountry permit. Thunder Creek, the major tributary to the lake, carries the fine glacial sediment which gives the lake its brilliant turquoise color.