Be Prepared for Smoke Season

No one can see the future, but you can plan the best vacation possible with travel alert resources on this page

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Special thanks to Voortex Productions (Follow them on Facebook and Instagram)

and 

Jamie Petitto (Follow Jamie on Facebook and Instagram)

Video made possible in part with assistance from Okanogan County Tourism and Chelan County Tourism Hotel-Motel Tax funds

Smoke Season Resources

• US Forest Service Large Fire Map
• National Preparedness Level
• Inciweb - Incident Information System
• Northwest Coordination Center Daily Wildfire Situation Map
• Washington Smoke Blog (Air Quality) 
• NOAA Weather GeoColor Map
• Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Alerts

Chelan County Emergency Management -- https://www.facebook.com/CCSOEM/

Okanogan County Emergency Management -- https://www.facebook.com/Okanogan.County.Emergency.Management/

Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest -- https://www.fs.usda.gov/okawen/

Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest -- https://www.fs.usda.gov/mbs

Department of Natural Resources Twitter -- https://twitter.com/waDNR_fire

Washington State Department of Transportation

• Travel Alerts-REAL TIME

Be Prepared for Road Construction Travel Delays

North Cascades Travel Alerts

Marblemount Ranger Station, facilities and parking areas

(dates updated July 29, 2022)

Facilities and parking areas at the Marblemount Ranger Station will be impacted by the project. Facilities will remain open, but visitors may experience wait times up to one hour.

Campgrounds Along State Route 20

(dates updated July 29, 2022)

From July 24-August 18, numerous areas associated with campgrounds will be closed. Closures will be staggered during this time and include campgrounds, parking lots, pullouts, overlooks, and access beyond the Skagit River bridge, including North Cascades Visitor Center. Campground closures include:

• Goodell Creek Campground will be closed July 24-28 and July 31-August 4. It will reopen to reservations on July 29-30 and reopen to reservations on August 5.
  • The Goodell raft launch will be closed to all traffic August 1-4.
• Newhalem Creek Campground, Skagit River Bridge, and North Cascades Visitor Center will be closed July 24-August 4. It will reopen to reservations on August 5.
  • Park Rangers are available in the town of Newhalem for park planning. An information tent will be available beginning Monday, July 25 through the closure.
  • Retail items are available at the gift store in the Skagit Information Center in Newhalem.
• Colonial Creek North and South campgrounds will be closed August 7-11 and August 14-18. It will reopen to reservations on August 12-13 and reopen to reservations on August 19.
  • Attention backcountry users:
    • There will be no access on any paved surfaces in the campground. The boat launch will be closed to all use.
    • Trailered vessels will not be able to launch on Diablo Lake during these dates.
    • Permit holders for Diablo and Ross Lake campsites can park and launch hand powered watercraft during this time at the Environmental Learning Center parking lot.
    • Backcountry permit holders using the Thunder Creek Trail can walk along the shore of Thunder Arm or take the stock trail to the trailhead. Parking is allowed at the gravel lot on the north side of the highway.
    • Parking is extremely limited. All use of this area is discouraged.

Cascade River Road

(dates updated August 6, 2022)

From July 22-mid-late August, Cascade River Road will be closed to vehicle traffic at Eldorado, milepost 20, three miles from the trailhead. Work is weather dependent. Foot traffic is allowed beyond the closure for most of the project timeframe. Visitors should expect loud noises and dust during the project.

• Work is tentatively scheduled for July 29-31, date is subject to change. There will be active construction along the road with limited parking, long wait times, and loud construction noise. Day users are discouraged to visit the area during this time.
• Work is tentatively scheduled for August 5, date is subject to change and weather dependent. This affects access to Boston Basin and Cascade Pass trailheads. The road is closed to day-use hikers and vehicle traffic. Foot traffic will only be allowed for backcountry permit holders before 7 am and after 5 pm.

Other Areas Along State Route 20

(dates updated August 2, 2022)

Numerous areas along State Route 20 will be affected. Closures include Diablo Lake Overlook, the road to the Environmental Learning Center, overlooks and pull outs, and the Happy Creek Nature Trail parking area.

The following area is tentatively scheduled for August 4, dates are subject to change:

• Entrance sign pull out and parking

The following areas are tentatively scheduled for August 12, dates are subject to change:

• Diablo Lake Overlook
• Happy Creek Nature Trail parking area

US 2 - Stevens Pass Region -- Now through October, 2022

Between milepost 62 and 71 (summit of Stevens Pass), Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., there will be a reduced speed zone, lane shifts, and intermittent flagger controlled traffic. Travelers should plan for longer than normal travel times over the summit of Stevens Pass.