Reviews of Ross Lake National Recreation Area (Park)

Teresa Mitchell

Great night fishing

Randy Long

More beautiful every time we drive through

William Leather

Breathtaking views and fairly quiet its an awesome drive through the north cascades

Diane Herr

Awesome views and great hiking.

Michael P

Beautiful area unique to the pnw, great climbing too!

Raisa Aberasturi

I N C R E D I B L E

appywitch

The views, the drive, the absolute beauty.

Cameron C

This place has a fun refurbished train you can tour.

Mitchell St Clair

After traveling around Washington state this might be one of the best kept forest areas. Utilized well, protected, historic, and beautiful scenery. The color of the lakes are the best around!

mi5terman

Grand glacial landscape=an awesome getaway. The water is a striking aqua color due to the glacial meltwater and suspended silt. Campgrounds are moving to reservation only in 2018 and the main highway isn't open year-round.

commandtheline

Very beautiful Overlook with convenient parking right off of the Cascade Highway. Great stop for a break weather driving or on motorcycle

Green Monkey

5 star for the beauty.

Peter N

Beautiful and lovely

Cory Siegert

Gorgeous lake with great recreational areas all around!

Mangeshkumar Gabhane

Perfect place for hike, nature view. There is ferry for lake tour. Both way ferry cast you $20

Nick Nicholson

Great spot for a picnic up top.

Sheri Hunter

A must see, Ross Lake boat tour is a foray into the remarkable history of the North Cascades and the building of Ross Dam by Seattle Power and Light Co.

Kotni Kiranmayee

Good enchanting place for relaxing

Brian Holle

Great place to watch a meteor shower

Steven Banom III

Would recommend. Was nice to just chill near the lake after labor day

Shaun Murray

Very beautiful area especially in the summer. Colonial Creek campground is an excellent place to go when out that way as well.

David Farnham

Very beautiful scenery, very nice people!!!!

Michael Gordon

It's the Cascades! Of course I love it!

Mr Dweebz

Amazing blue water with incredible mountain views.

Nicholas Villarino

Incredibly beautiful area. I highly recommend the easy drive to the Diablo lake lookout.

Diane Story

Very quiet with large wooded camp sites. Trails to the river and Gorge dam we're fun to go on and well maintained. Will visit again!

Corey Hamilton

The cascades are one of the most beautiful places in the country

Peter Suchomski

Coolest sights around!

J.D. Snyder

Beautiful place, park staff can range from hostile to weird though.

Monte Saxby

Incredible scenery

Nick Stach

Great visit with great views.

Justin McClintock

Beautiful overlook in the north cascades. Nice scenic drive.

Phat Kat

5 STARS

Colby Fowler

Amazing views, nature at it's finest. Definitely not a place to be missed if your driving over the old Cascades highway. One of the best drives in Washington state.

O W

Beautiful place, super great drive, wonderful place to stop.

Sharon Storey

Beautiful view! Enjoyable hike

Transcending Seer

You have to be tough rugged and be able to survive without wi fi, otherwise, you will not enjoy yourself

Roger Clarke-Johnson

SCL still offers modestly-priced Facility Tours in the traditional (circa 1921) way: with a boat ride on emerald green Ross Lake and a hearty lunch in a restored cafeteria. Alas, the SCL steam locomotive is on static display only.

Aragao Aragão

This is so beautiful I can wait to go there next year. I was there for the first time with my kids and my friend that I came visit I love love this place can get enough of it the river the trees the mountain is so beautiful!!

Jamie McIver

The blue you see in the pictures is legit. There are many trails in this area. Not too difficult either. My gf and I chose thunder knob. We didn't finish the hike because we stopped about half way and got drunk :p. Can't wait to go back and stay longer.

Mackenzie Nesbit

Spectacular views, great hiking/backpacking. The green color of the lake comes from the high mineral content, if you can take the frigid cold, a quick swim will do you good.

Mariah Vazquez

I've gone there almost every year with family and it's always such a memorable vacation. Great management who are always beyond helpful , clean resort and beautiful views.

Richard Benson

Beautiful part of the world. The mountains are majestic and it’s a cool place. I went with intention to put my canoe in on Ross lake. Sadly the portage down to the lake is nearly impossible for one person and I didn’t want to do it after I learned of the elevation change and how far it was to put in. So I adjusted and went to Diablo lake and paddled in with my dog and stayed at an Amazon campground that was tucked into a little cove. You’ve gotta ask the rangers which one that is and, if available, you must do it. It was gorgeous and secluded and there was a great little 5 minute walk up to the top of the point to overlook the whole lake.

Irwan McGregor

Diablo trail

Chad Hembree

Beautiful!!

Gareth Moore

Great place for kids and to hike

Daniel Chavez

A stop you must take.

David Lorengo

The Gorge powerhouse tour is the best if you really want to get up close with the internal workings. The boat tour gives you great views of the back of Diablo dam and the face of Ross dam.

Yhali Gat

Such a nice color of the lake!!

tjzekes

The color of the water is very unique! And no: it is not due to an overgrowth of algae as someone told me. An Interpretive Sign explains that the color arises from glacial grinding of rock and a resultant "rock flour" suspended in water that reacts to sunlight. If you have the time drive across Diablo Dam. You'll have a dam good time.

lynne green

This is one of the most beautiful places i've ever seen. It's a wonderful place to camp and it's on my bucket list to return again as soon as possible.

Rudy Baker

Beautiful there

Ray Carrender

Stunning beauty, jaw dropping sites :) Sadly my pictures are just from the rest area :(.

Mitch Evans

It's got it all: mountains, rivers, vistas. Holes cabins and true wilderness.

Kay Em

Great view point on the cascade loop drive, lake water is very clear and looks green from the top view point.

Justin Staples

Great view

C. Hamner

Beautiful drive, and destination

Jeff Paul

Super buggy, but it was an amazing hike!

Katherine Gooding

Gorgeous natural views. Go see it! But best on a weekday, summer weekend traffic can be tedious.

Rod Koenig

Like no other place, but so easy to visit by car, motorcycle or motorhome.

Ethan Landau

Cabins on the lake are rustic and beautiful.

Daisy D

Nice easy hike, with some great views.

Shauna Swanson

This is a nice place to stop and stretch your legs along mountain loop highway. The restrooms were clean and well stocked. You can also grab some road trip snacks at the convenience store. The employees there were very friendly and helpful. The store was also clean and well stocked.

Suzette Russell

Beautiful!!

J P

Beautiful!

John Carvalho

Very beautiful area with great alpine sights

Jeremy McKee

Just flat out beautiful

Bryce Provance

Love it there if u get the chance go

Rachel Petersen

I love the views!! Good little spot to stop an take in the scenery. Has bathrooms too an a spot for the dog to pee as well.

elise kyes

So beautiful, so worth the drive.

Amanda Beltrami

So pretty!

Anirudha Krishna

Diablo lake is a brilliant emerald color. The dam and surrounding mountains make for one if the most scenic spots anywhere!

Rob L

Beautiful scenery and amazing views, plus the drive up to the top is a lot of fun! I highly recommend checking this place out if you're looking for some amazing pictures and backdrops

Mark Johnson

Went on a very nice easy hike from colonial creek campground 2 miles to thunder creek bridge then back...old growth forest...very minimal elevation gain on a beautiful summer day...wow that's fun....and free too...gotta love it

Eileen Kelly-Meyer

Gorge Lake Park is an Interesting place, lovely gardens juxtaposed with industrial buildings. Good interpretive visitors center. Trail to falls is blocked at the top. Signage could be better.

Andriy Rybka

Great trail with great views

Olayinka Oladimeji

A great and refreshing hike

Dustin Griffin

Absolutely love this area. I cannot wait to go back for so many reasons. Between the hikes and the lakes and the campgrounds, this area is a true Alpine paradise. You can find reservations and more information at the recreation.gov address. I almost don't want to let others know about this gem of the northwest. Sad to see some occasional littering. Wish people packed it in and packed it out like they ought to. Water is cold because it's fed by glaciers. No motorized boats are allowed on Diablo Lake, but kayaks are.

Daniel Torrelio

Diablo Trail was a great and easy hike! There are spots that might make you concerned for you life but the view is majestic.

CC sherm

Clean trails the air is pure and it's absolutely gorgeous. Can't wait to visit again

amy quinsey

Beautiful

Michael Donegan

Paradise. One of the most beautiful places on planet earth. Absolutely gorgeous lake and view of the mountains. I wish I could have stayed a year.

Lewis Cory Lyons

Gorgeous views beautiful drive

Robert Hartman

Been camping on Ross lake for the past 4 years over labor day. It's the one trip I look forward to every year. The scenery is beautiful, and the camp spots are always maintained.

Dawn Woods

The cascades are one of the most beautiful places in the country we had a picnic here and it was lovely

fishindude2010 Forsyth

Cold in February this year.

Christine Sears

Some of the most spectacular mountain and lake views I've ever seen

Amber Brierly

Beautiful hiking trails and on a clear day it’s simply stunning.

Michelle Myre

Beautiful area. Very populated with cars, campers, and hikers.

William Olsen

Beautiful lakes and mountains. Not crowded. Great hikes.

PRIYA BHARDWAJ

Its so beautiful, you would not want to come back from there

Heidi Lytle

Beautiful views

David Hughes

Beautiful place.

Mark Stevens

A wonderful place to explore and soak in the mountains of the northern Cascades in Washington! I found it in excellent place for both landscape photography as well as amazing hikes in the woods and mountains. Given I was there in mid June, I can't be sure of what it's like during the height of the summer months, but it is well worth the visit! Other than camping, there is no lodging within the national park or nearby recreation areas, other than a few spots Ross Lake resort. Otherwise you'll have to find lodging outside the national park and rec area in nearby towns.

Kaylee Jakubowski

All the photos will look similar since everyone stands in the same place. You really just have to see it. Plenty of trailheads on the area (Thunder head knob for an easy, light 2 hour hike; Diablo Lk Trail for a moderate 4 hour hike; Sourdough trail if you're hardcore; and plenty more down the road). 2.5 hours from Seattle and the drive is worth it too. No cell service - put a Spotify playlist on download before you go.

Gil Anderson

The colors were wonderful. The road had plenty of curves. It's the perfect fall motorcycle adventure.

Perri Kapp

This is a lovely area. Great trails. I wandered around a bit but didn't see as much as I would have liked to. I would definitely recommend visiting, and I hope I will have the opportunity to return!

E.N. Byron

Beautiful overlook with a spacious parking area. Good spot for a leg stretch with a view, or a little picnic.

Marc Pollefeys

Nice to visit

Robert Alberg

Good area to visit in the North Cascades National Park. Very good place to take photos. Good hiking trails to walk on.

Joshua Wagner

This place is total beauty. Highly recommend it. Only boat launch is on Canadian side of the lake.

Lloyd Martin

A beautiful drive along Hwy 20 takes you through several lakes along the Skagit River and do not miss the overlook parking area at the high, east side overlooking Diablo Lake. There is great fishing, tons of hiking trails, lots of campgrounds, and many places for kayaking & canoeing. Colonial Creek Campground is especially good for those wanting to go out on Diablo Lake.

Andrew Weckstein

Went backpacking here and it's great! Trails were fairly flat and mostly maintained with a few fallen trees across the path that the rangers haven't cleared yet. The camp sites were really nice with fire rings and outhouses.

Sylvia Walt

This trip had the most breathtaking scenery . So relaxing even though quite a drive from Lake Stevens. Sun Mountain Lodge was so wonderful and the steak and French Dip roast beef just melted in your mouth.

Chris Greer

Breath taking

Gus Garcia

Loved the area. Too bad it only has a few short HC Accessible Trails. We were told about one by a Volunteer at the Ranger Station and she was correct, well worth the trip.

Dana Ontheave

Gorgeous, great scenery and not a lot of people. Lots of trails and good hiking.

Javier Martinez

Before place. The drive there was amazing with excellent roads .

Isaac Dozier

Camping, hiking, fishing ... A collection of lakes encompassed by pristine wilderness. What else could you ask for? Also, tons of glaciers.

mark k schoenfelder

It's the best place in the world

Raymond Hendricksen

I enjoy working here. As long as you respect Seattle City light you will have a great time.

Dawnelle Carroll

Nature, gotta love it

Justin Peter

Great Sunday Drive

Mike Harman

Beauty eh

Anwesha Chatterjee

This is a beautiful area with the camping grounds along the torquoise blue lake, the numerous hiking trails,the dam overlook. The road through the national Park area itself is a delight to drive by.

Rama A

Terrible place, nothing to see here. Go to Switzerland or something. Leave this place to people like me.

Robert Horton

If I could give it Seven Stars I would.

Maha Q

Amazing view!

Anjana Menon

The hike to Ross dam is wonderful, moderate path with beautiful view

Kareem Hadee

Great park for motorcyclists as well as cars! If you are heading east stop in Winthrop and surrounding towns for gifts and food. There are no services the pass that I can recall.

Ian Hoffman

Secluded Ross Lake is lined with gorgeous mountain views. Paddling up the lake was a joy, but portage to and from Diablo lake is facilitated by Ross Lake Resort, who prioritize their guests above day hikers and paddlers who arrive first. We were told that we would have to wait 15 min for the next ferry to arrive and up to 2 hours after that if it was full.

Rustyn Clark

Stretch your legs, hike the trail, check out the waterfalls.

liker p.sharma000

It's my home

Mark Klausman

Beautiful place

Michael Bollinger

Can't wait for spring. We'll be back. Do not leave lettuce or food out! Nice drive.

Je T

Relaxing trip stop for us. We were impressed. But it was chilly!:)

Ethan Yeo

I love the North Cascades, don't nearly spend enough time here. The Diablo Lake lookout is an essential stop if you wanna catch some views without hiking anywhere! Tons of areas to explore. Get out there!

Chris Miller

Beautiful absolutely stunning landscapes such a fun family adventure be prepared to bring some bug spray and some possible extra Waters water bottles to drink food sandwiches

Lucinda Wiley

Beautiful, well worth seeing.

Viraat Balakrishnaa

Ross lake is part of Canada and United states, surrounded by mountains it is part of Skagit valley provincial park of BC. 90% of the lake is in WA.US. access from Canada is only through Hope, BC., through an unpaved road. Enrouite there is also a nice small Silver lake on our right and road goes along shallow river. Road ends at lake and also goes little bit into US territory, there is a presence of US government. Camp sites are available, fire pits are available. Lake has clear waters, swmming, kayaking and other water sports can be done with safety in mind.

Edo Schweihs

Absolutely mesmerizing.

Dave Baum

Very quiet lots of trails and nice lake

Cliff Strong

Beautiful place, beautiful mountain lake. And you can walk or drive along the top of the dam.

Tyler Kingery

First time to the west coast and it on the be my last. Beautiful scenery and hope to get to spend more time in this area next time.

Lion Master

This place is beautiful and full of wildlife! I highly recommend Ross Lake for your destination. Stunning lake with mountanious views. Everyway you look its just breathaking. Take the family for a little outdoor fun!

Shelly Cook

Awesome place. Make sure you go to ladder falls at night. It's all lit up. Diablo lake is beautiful. We stayed at gorge campsite. It's right on the river, and it's free.

Mizuki Sakurasora

Simply gorgeous, to drive through and stop from time to time, or hike, the list of activities/possibilities goes on and on.

Greg Johnson

Spectacular views. Plenty of things to do. Hiking boating camping fishing and more.

ron matthews

Gorgeous, American alps, blue waters, ahhh. Watch for the afternoon winds. Great campsites along the lake.

Richard Fuller

Highway 20 is one of my favorite motorcycle rides in the state. For close to an hour you're in a lean angle and rarely strait up and down. Great places to eat in Winthrop and twisp.

Loree Slack

What a great day, we took the Diablo Lake cruise to Ross Dam. Not all tours I am told are able to go through the dam, our group was able due to time and someone being available. You will need close toe shoes and a hard hat for the tour, there are stairs and they also offer ear plugs, I didn't use mine it didn't seem loud to me. Our guides were very knowledgeable about the dam and the history of the area it was educational and relaxing. I would go on this again with family or friends who come for a visit.

Christoph Bauwens

Spacious kampsite, in the middle of the forest. No running water of electricity. Marvellous environment.

Stephen Smith

Very cool place, the water at Diablo is an amazing turquoise color!

John Smith

This is a great place to visit because of how beautiful it is. With the drive for the view.

Roger Martin

Beautiful area in North Cascades Natl Park. No admission fee.

Eric Bevel

Amazing place for kayaking

Nancy White

Beautiful set among the Cascade mountains, even if just driving through on hiway 20

Scott W

We got lucky with great weather. Gorgeous views but that water was cold. I got about ankle deep and decided a beer sounded like more fun.

Sallie L

Love where I live. Beautiful place on Earth.

Nick Krupla

One of the few places in America you can find rate high mountain lake views from the highway!

pamela sada

Beautiful.. Nothing more to add

David Felt

Cannot get a better place to find a wide range of hiking trails, amazing photo ops, and a total connection with nature. Remember to take cloth layers, proper food and water. If possible take a filter system and use the streams. Pack in and pack out, leave it as untouched as you can for future visits. Love this place.

Cody

Amazing views. The forest land is well maintained. Well worth the effort to go to. I will be back.

Ely Shestack

Beautiful!

Tammy Badari

Very beautiful. Very fresh cold water to play in.

Darci Bailey

Beautiful lake! The hike was a bit disappointing since the best veiws were from the drive to the parking lot, but it was worth a trip.

Samuel C. Antoine

Beautiful outdoor space. Long drive on a bumpy dirt road though but it is well worth it. Enjoy!!!

Katie Foote

Diablo lake hike was perfect for springtime when other trails were closed. It was a bit too cloudy to see the peaks but the path was well maintained and the dams are impressive engineering feats! Definitely enjoyed our time in the park!