Welcome Cascade Loop Fans!

You’re invited to join us for an afternoon, an overnight stay or a weekend — sign up for a family camp, art or ecology class, Diablo Lake boat tour, geology hike or another one of the dozens of opportunities designed to get you outside connecting with the Wild Nearby.

Most programs take place at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center, located in the heart of North Cascades National Park, on Diablo Lake just 3 hours from Seattle or 2 from Bellingham. The Learning Center features ADA-accessible guest lodges, a dining hall serving locally-sourced organic meals, a network of trails, boat dock, and a professional staff of naturalists and hospitality crew.

  • Family Getaways

    Enjoy an inspirational weekend in the mountains with your children or grandchildren

    Join a Family Getaway and connect with your family – and nature, too – on the forested shores of Diablo Lake. We provide comfortable accommodations, delicious meals and a wide variety of engaging, hands-on activities like canoeing, hiking, outdoor games and nature crafts by day, stargazing and nocturnal explorations at night.

    LEARN MORE

  • Feature-Summer-Base-Camp.jpg

    Experience “the American Alps” on your own schedule

    Base Camp offers you the opportunity to explore and learn about the natural and cultural history of the North Cascades while enjoying the comforts of our campus in the heart of North Cascades National Park — one of only a handful of overnight venues inside the park! Each night of Base Camp includes comfortable lodging, three delicious meals, and recreation and learning opportunities.

    SPECIAL OFFER for Cascade Loop friends - 50% off your 2nd night of Base Camp!
    Call (360) 854-2599 and mention the “Loop Discount” to book your stay.

    BOOK NOW

  • Winter Base Camp

    Learn in the most stunning classroom you can imagine

    We offer dozens of in-person, hands-on learning adventures, including single-day and weekend classes on birding, photography, geology, wildlife tracking, journaling, mushrooms and more! Want to learn about the North Cascades from the comfort of your own home? From presentations by leading scientists on glaciers or wolves to watercoloring classes to poetry readings and more, we also offer inexpensive online classes via Zoom so folks can engage with the North Cascades wherever you are, whenever you want!

    FIND A CLASS

  • North-Cascades

    Discover the North Cascades, Institute and Environmental Learning Center

    Did you know that the North Cascades have more glaciers than anywhere else in the lower 48 states, as well as the 3rd deepest lake in the US? That the region is one of the most biologically diverse areas in North America and is home to a whopping 75 species of mammals including gray wolves, black bears, wolverines, river otters, lynx, bats and mountain goats?

    LEARN MORE

  • Skagit Tours

    Diablo Lake Boat Tours

    Hop aboard the Alice Ross IV and enjoy views of snow-clad mountain peaks, islands and waterfalls while hearing stories about the people who have lived and worked in these mountains.

    LEARN MORE


You can contact our friendly registration team with any questions. Scholarships, student, military and disability discounts may be available; give us a call!

Like us on Facebook and Instagram for beautiful photos, natural history trivia and stories from the field.

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU IN THE NORTH CASCADES!