TUESDAY - After spending just 1-night 4-miles outside of North Cascades National Park, we drove the grueling 12-miles back into the park this morning to spend our final 3-nights at the Newhalem Creek Campground.
We did accomplish a lot while plugged in outside the park, like charging our solar batteries to 100%, getting hot showers and even did 3 loads of laundry.
It always feels good to sleep on clean sheets after a hot shower, which doesn't happen often enough for us while we're out RVing.
Our site here is plenty long enough for ROVER and THE POD, plus it's fairly semi-private.
The yellow tag on the table reminds you to secure your food in the provided bear-proof box while the red tag in the fire pit reminds you that the entire park is currently under a burn ban.
The woods behind our site are still looking a little thin, thanks to the wildfire back in 2015.
WEDNESDAY - Today we're going to hike the 1.8-mile River Loop Trail that begins at the North Cascades Visitor Center right here in the campground.
There is also the Sterling Munro Viewpoint Trail, which also happens to begin at the Visitor Center. It's a 330' long boardwalk that offers a sweeping view of the Picket Range by looking up the Goodell Creek.
RIVER LOOP TRAIL
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Each intersection had a wooden sign pointing towards the trail, campground or visitor center.
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We begin with a 100+ yard 15% downhill grade, with means we'll end up the same uphill grade.
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At least they have a bench at the bottom for you to rest up for the return trip up.
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The denser the forest became, the more prevalent the moss became.
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From the trail we could see the backside of the amphitheater building.
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Soon we found ourselves on the gentle shoreline of the Skagit River.
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I wonder how many more spring thaw torrents these trees will survive?
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Across the river we saw the raft launch of the currently closed Goodell Creek Campground.
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The Goodell Creek Campground has been closed for weeks due to nearby bear activity.
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I hope that swift water on the far shoreline is a deterrent to the bear swimming across.
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Another couple of trees doomed to someday fall into the river.
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There's a swift deep channel off the far shoreline and a gravelbar on our side of the river.
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Certainly a bear wouldn't willingly attempt to swim across that! Would they?
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They offer rafting trips here on the river, but we haven't seen a single person out there.
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This is thicker moss than we've seen anywhere else on the trail today.
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I wonder why only one bud on this Bull Thistle plant has bloomed so far?
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Someone found out that bench that didn't hold up to the harsh winter weather.
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This straight trail leads back to the beginning of the loop portion of the trail.
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A sight for sore feet, benches at the main intersection of the trail.
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Time to finish strong on this uphill climb to the trailhead.
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Don't give up now Phil, we're halfway there.
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Yeah, the end is in sight!
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We were soon resting on the back porch of the North Cascades Visitor Center.
Not much of a view from the Sterling Munro Viewpoint today, thanks to the low morning clouds.
THURSDAY - I must be a "glutton for punishment" because I've agreed to try a 2-mile hike this morning that begins and ends at our campsite.
I do have an "out" though, if I choose to take it. At the halfway point of the hike we'll be in the town of Newhalem, where you'll find the Skagit General Store. They sell cold soda, hot dogs and fresh made fudge, among other things.
We could both take an extended break there, or Tricia could finish the hike back to our campsite and then drive ROVER back into town to pick me up.
We'll see what happens. The temps are forecast for 56°F to 64°F between 8AM - 10AM, so that shouldn't be a factor in my success or failure to finish the hike.
ALSO NOTE: We could have driven ROVER down a gravel road to both trailheads, which would have made the whole thing less than a 1/2-mile total hike. At least I didn't take the easy way out with that option!
THE TRAIL OF THE CEDARS NATURE WALK PLUS THE ROCK SHELTER AND LINKING TRAILS
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Like I said, the trail starts in our campground loop and goes .3-mile down a gravel road to a steel grated bridge over the Newhalem Creek, which the campground is named after.
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Just on the other side of the bridge you'll find the trailhead for the Rock Shelter Trail.
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The trail is .6-mile round trip, starts up a slight grade to the ridge before continuing.
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There is a longer trail up the Newhalem Creek, but we're here to see the Rock Shelter.
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The trail ends with a nice elevated boarwalk to the viewpoint for the Rock Shelter.
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Tricia spotted some fireweed. She gets so excited because it reminds her of Alaska.
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That's it! That's the Rock Shelter we hiked out here to see. I was so dissapointed.
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But we also had a great overview of the Newhalem Creek flowing by down below.
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That's Newhalem Creek on it's way to join the Skagit River on it's way to Puget Sound.
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Back on the gravel road for another .2-mile before we reach the Newhalem creek Powerhouse.
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The powerhouse is at the back corner of the .3-mile Trail of the Cedars loop.
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We had a chance to look into each of the three windows on the currently idle powerhouse.
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The building burned down in 1966 and rebuilt in 1970, but all the equipment is orignal to 1921.
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Looks to be very well maintained for 105-year old equipment.
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As you would expect, the Trail of the Cedars included some very tall red cedar trees.
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The trail wove it's way among the giants, which included Douglas Fir trees too.
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At some point this giant tree had to be taken down and cleared from the trail.
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I didn't try to count the rings on this tree, let's just say it was hundreds.
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Soon the Skagit River and the western side of the town of Newhalem came into view.
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That doesn't mean there aren't more trees to see along the trail.
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Looking up into the dense canopy it was easy to see wht the trail was so nicely shaded.
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Finally, the bridge over the Skagit River into town and the halfway point of our hike.
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I guess we could try and cross it by treating it like monkey bars...
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..., but I'd rather do like everyone else and walk across the top.
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Just a few more steps and I'll be able to get that fresh made fudge I've been lookin forward to.
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The Skagit General Store has been here since 1922, basically since the town was established.
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I suspect they've been making this delicious fudge with the same recipe since 1922.
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Time to get going, this time we're leaving from the proper trailhead in Newhalem.
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Also in 1922, there was a large fire here outside of Newhalem. The taller and thicker trees tend to survive a wildfire, unlike the newer trees.
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The trees may become heavily damaged after a fire, but they do tend to survive.
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Since I was feeling so good with the hike, we added the .7-mile Linking Trail to the hike.
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That effeectively means I hiked nearly 3-miles in total today, not bad for an old man!
This concludes our visit to our 45th National Park, but don't fret, there's another coming up next week!
Looking for our Visited States Map and Data? How about our State by State Bucket Lists or Visited Campgrounds List? If so, click on the sign below to be taken to our other website.
Each intersection had a wooden sign pointing towards the trail, campground or visitor center.
We begin with a 100+ yard 15% downhill grade, with means we'll end up the same uphill grade.
At least they have a bench at the bottom for you to rest up for the return trip up.
The denser the forest became, the more prevalent the moss became.
From the trail we could see the backside of the amphitheater building.
I wonder how many more spring thaw torrents these trees will survive?
Across the river we saw the raft launch of the currently closed Goodell Creek Campground.
The Goodell Creek Campground has been closed for weeks due to nearby bear activity.
Another couple of trees doomed to someday fall into the river.
This is thicker moss than we've seen anywhere else on the trail today.
I wonder why only one bud on this Bull Thistle plant has bloomed so far?
Someone found out that bench that didn't hold up to the harsh winter weather.
This straight trail leads back to the beginning of the loop portion of the trail.
A sight for sore feet, benches at the main intersection of the trail.
Time to finish strong on this uphill climb to the trailhead.
Don't give up now Phil, we're halfway there.
Yeah, the end is in sight!
We were soon resting on the back porch of the North Cascades Visitor Center.
Just on the other side of the bridge you'll find the trailhead for the Rock Shelter Trail.
The trail is .6-mile round trip, starts up a slight grade to the ridge before continuing.
There is a longer trail up the Newhalem Creek, but we're here to see the Rock Shelter.
The trail ends with a nice elevated boarwalk to the viewpoint for the Rock Shelter.
Tricia spotted some fireweed. She gets so excited because it reminds her of Alaska.
That's it! That's the Rock Shelter we hiked out here to see. I was so dissapointed.
But we also had a great overview of the Newhalem Creek flowing by down below.
Back on the gravel road for another .2-mile before we reach the Newhalem creek Powerhouse.
The powerhouse is at the back corner of the .3-mile Trail of the Cedars loop.
We had a chance to look into each of the three windows on the currently idle powerhouse.
The building burned down in 1966 and rebuilt in 1970, but all the equipment is orignal to 1921.
Looks to be very well maintained for 105-year old equipment.
As you would expect, the Trail of the Cedars included some very tall red cedar trees.
The trail wove it's way among the giants, which included Douglas Fir trees too.
At some point this giant tree had to be taken down and cleared from the trail.
I didn't try to count the rings on this tree, let's just say it was hundreds.
Soon the Skagit River and the western side of the town of Newhalem came into view.
That doesn't mean there aren't more trees to see along the trail.
Looking up into the dense canopy it was easy to see wht the trail was so nicely shaded.
Finally, the bridge over the Skagit River into town and the halfway point of our hike.
I guess we could try and cross it by treating it like monkey bars...
..., but I'd rather do like everyone else and walk across the top.
Just a few more steps and I'll be able to get that fresh made fudge I've been lookin forward to.
The Skagit General Store has been here since 1922, basically since the town was established.
I suspect they've been making this delicious fudge with the same recipe since 1922.
Time to get going, this time we're leaving from the proper trailhead in Newhalem.
Also in 1922, there was a large fire here outside of Newhalem.
The trees may become heavily damaged after a fire, but they do tend to survive.
Since I was feeling so good with the hike, we added the .7-mile Linking Trail to the hike.
That effeectively means I hiked nearly 3-miles in total today, not bad for an old man!
