North Cascades Environmental Learning Center

Join us for an afternoon, an overnight stay or a weekend in one of dozens of programs designed to get you outside and exploring the wild wonders of this unique region!

North Cascades Institute— a conservation nonprofit that helps thousands of people of all ages engage the park through environmental education and outdoor learning adventures—offers many exciting ways for you to explore and learn about the natural and cultural history of this region. 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 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 along the Cascade Loop just off the North Cascades Highway (State Route 20), nestled on the shores of Diablo Lake in the heart of North Cascades National Park. The Environmental Learning Center is just 3 hours from Seattle or 2 from Bellingham and the Methow Valley. The Learning Center features ADA-accessible guest lodges, a dining hall serving local and organic meals, a library and lounges, access to a network of trails and a professional staff of naturalists and educators.

Want to explore “the American Alps” on your own schedule? 

Base Camp offers you the opportunity to explore the North Cascades on your own schedule 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 lodging, three delicious meals and guided outdoor learning activities.

Want to enjoy a weekend in the mountains with your children or grandchildren?  

Join a Family Getawayand 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 for all ages like canoeing, hiking, outdoor games and nature crafts by day and nocturnal explorations and campfires at night. 

Interested in exploring the natural & cultural history of the area in an afternoon? 

Skagit Toursoffer Diablo Lake & Lunch Boat Tours, Powerhouse Insider Tours and a Chicken Dinner-Walking Tour in Newhalem to explore the North Cascades and Upper Skagit Hydroelectric Project with our partners at Seattle City Light. A great introduction to the area!

Want to learn in the most stunning classroom you can imagine? 

We offer dozens of small-group Learning Adventures, including single-day and weekend classes on forest ecology, poetry, birding, canoeing, photography, geology, botany, wildlife tracking, journaling, mushrooms and much more!

Details about all these programs are on our website at www.ncascades.org. You can also contact our friendly registration team with any questions at (360) 854-2599 or info@ncascades.org.

To stay informed of upcoming offerings in the North Cascades, sign up for our monthly E-newsletter at http://ncascades.org/newsletter-signupor like us on Facebook at