Ross Lake National Recreation Area

Ross Lake National Recreation Area stretches across 117,575 acres of mountainous terrain, featuring three reservoirs connected by the Skagit River in Washington state.

The establishment of the recreation area in 1968 followed the construction of hydroelectric dams in the 1920s, which transformed the natural valley into the current lake system.

The North Cascades Visitor Center and Skagit Information Center in Newhalem provide educational resources about the local ecosystem and native wildlife populations.

Visitors can access multiple campgrounds along North Cascades Highway, with both tent and RV sites available, plus boat-in camping locations along Ross and Diablo reservoirs.

Desolation Peak Lookout, an active fire monitoring station each summer, stands as the setting where author Jack Kerouac worked in 1956 while writing his novel Desolation Angels.

Location: Skagit County

Operator: United States National Park Service

GPS coordinates: 48.78627,-121.06762

Latest update: March 3, 2025 02:03