Nothing says summer like jumping into an alpine lake on a hot day
If you’ve spent any time in the Pacific Northwest, you’ve probably heard Ross Lake mentioned with a religious reverence.
For those who have been there, it’s an addicting location – it seems once you start visiting, it becomes an annual tradition for many.
For those who haven’t been, it’s probably on your bucket list. And if not, it should be.
The lake was created by the Ross Dam in the 1930s, and it’s tucked into the North Cascades National Park with entry points in the USA and Canada. Getting there is just complicated enough to keep away the crowds, but it’s also accessible and with a little planning even families loaded with kids and camping gear can have a successful adventure without breaking a sweat (see our next post for how to get there).
We’ve been hearing about the wonders of Ross Lake for years, but were never quite motivated enough to navigate the logistics until Jeff pitched the idea to The Seattle Times and it got picked up for a travel article.
Here are some of the highlight photos from our trip to accompany the article running this weekend.
Surveying the lakeside camps along Ross Lake
Boat camping is typically done in a kayak, canoe or a small motorboat. Since we had a child in tow, so we rented a motorboat from Ross Lake Resort so we didn’t have to worry about getting to our campsites in challenging conditions (it’s usually windy in the afternoons). It turns out our fears were for naught – we saw nothing but glassy conditions the entire weekend.
Ian got to be a big shot whenever he took the helm
One of the biggest upsides to boating is that you get to explore the little side channels and waterfalls that pour into the lake. When the Skagit River was flooded in 1937 to create the Ross Lake Reservoir, it opened up interesting creeks to navigate. All of them feel mysterious and movie-like to the point where you pinch yourself because you can’t believe what you’re seeing is real.
The entrance to Devil’s Creek slot canyon
In some places Devil’s Creek is just wide enough for a pair of boats
Lightning Creek going up about as far as we wanted to risk driving our motor boat.
Piloting our boat right up to the base of waterfalls was a highlight for the whole family
Canoe campers exit Lightning Creek after exploring. The bridge is used by backpackers along the East Bank Trail
Ross Lake has some of the best campgrounds in the entire state (if not the nation). Eighteen boat-in sites plus a handful of backpacking sites are situated right on the lake shore. Most are tiny – with only one, two or three sites. Campsites are reserved through the park system so you don’t have to worry about showing up at a full site. Reservations can be made through a lottery but many slots are non-reservable so you can claim permits within 24 hours of the start of your trip which is what we did.
A camper teaches his daughters how to fish for Rainbow Trout at Little Beaver Campground
Don’t visit Ross Lake without a hammock. Plenty of trees and secluded spots for napping
Cat Island is a favorite campground for parents with kids. Only 4 sites are available and there’s only so far the kids can go – since you’re camping on an island after all!
Rainbow Point Campground offered us water views in 2 directions
In the evenings we took our boat to neighboring camps (like this one at May Creek) to cook dinner on our portable camp stove. This gave us an excuse to explore and also check out where we want to stay on our next visit.
Our 3-year-old son Ian was playing with the camera while we were swimming off the Rainbow Point dock and he took this shot. It’s probably the first photo he’s taken that is good enough to publish
An angler tries his hand at fishing for trout during a sunset outing. Next time we’ll come prepared with rods and tackle.
Boat karaoke
Keeping tabs on our boat from our camp at Little Beaver
Another evening meal, this time from Cat Island