- Best time to visit North Cascades: July to September. The weather is at its most comfortable then, and crowds are lighter than at the peak.
- Busiest month: August, with about 10,539 visits in a typical recent year. That is 4.9 times as many as October.
- Quietest month: December (3 visits), when weather or closures keep most people away.
- Wettest month: November, with 7.0 inches on average.
Bar height: visitors that month, compared with the busiest month. Temperatures: average daily high and low (°F); rain and snow: monthly averages. Best marks the months we suggest.
Month by month
| Month | Crowds | Visits (typical) | High / low (°F) | Precipitation | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Very quiet | 13 | 46° / 35° | 6.2 in | 1 in |
| February | Very quiet | 5 | 49° / 35° | 4.1 in | 0 in |
| March | Very quiet | 34 | 53° / 38° | 4.8 in | 0 in |
| April | Very quiet | 435 | 58° / 41° | 4.2 in | 0 in |
| May | Very quiet | 1,109 | 65° / 47° | 3.5 in | 0 in |
| June | Quiet | 2,705 | 69° / 51° | 2.6 in | 0 in |
| July ★ | Busiest | 9,282 | 74° / 53° | 1.3 in | 0 in |
| August ★ | Busiest | 10,539 | 75° / 53° | 1.6 in | 0 in |
| September ★ | Busiest | 9,110 | 70° / 49° | 2.9 in | 0 in |
| October | Quiet | 2,151 | 60° / 43° | 5.0 in | 0 in |
| November | Very quiet | 46 | 50° / 39° | 7.0 in | 1 in |
| December | Very quiet | 3 | 45° / 34° | 5.5 in | 4 in |
Weather figures are NOAA 1991 to 2020 climate normals for the Sedro-Woolley station (60 feet above sea level), 1 miles from Forest Info Center with HQ Administration Building. Higher parts of the park are colder and snowier. Visitor numbers are the median of 2022 to 2025 monthly recreation visits from the National Park Service.
By season
- Spring (March to May): 4% of the year’s visits; average highs 53° to 65°F.
- Summer (June to August): 64% of the year’s visits; average highs 69° to 75°F.
- Fall (September to November): 32% of the year’s visits; average highs 50° to 70°F.
- Winter (December to February): 0% of the year’s visits; average highs 45° to 49°F.
Weekends and holidays
Even in a quiet month, holiday weekends fill parking lots and campgrounds. The 2027 federal holidays to plan around:
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Monday, January 18
- Presidents Day: Monday, February 15
- Memorial Day: Monday, May 31
- Juneteenth: Saturday, June 19
- Independence Day: Sunday, July 4 (observed Monday, July 5)
- Labor Day: Monday, September 6
- Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day: Monday, October 11
- Veterans Day: Thursday, November 11
- Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 25
See the crowd calendar for all 64 parks.
Weather, in the park service’s words
The best weather for visiting the North Cascades generally occurs between mid-June and late-September. Summer daytime temperatures average in the 70's F. Snow is off most trails by mid-July. Autumn and Spring are popular for color and wildlife. Storms are common: always be prepared for a few days of rain and wind. The east side of the Cascade Mountains (Lake Chelan National Recreation Area) is drier and warmer in the summer than the west side. Summer temperatures at Stehekin reach the 90's F.
From the National Park Service (public domain).
Today at North Cascades
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Alerts: National Park Service, checked hourly. Forecast: National Weather Service, for Golden West Visitor Center. Always confirm on the official park site before you set out.
Sources
- National Park Service visitor use statistics (IRMA): monthly recreation visits, 2022 to 2025
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991 to 2020 (monthly)
- National Park Service Data API: weather overview (public domain)
Last checked 1 November 2026.