Cascade Loop Road Trip

Leavenworth was designed with an Alpine German theme from the 1960s onward, with most buildings modeled after Bavarian settlements and adopting stereotypical fonts and names. However the town retains wide streets and large parking lots which are atypical of Bavaria.[citation needed] The Alpine German architectural theme is regulated by a design review board that approves plans for all new businesses, including chain establishments, leading to unusual designs for local fast-food restaurants and other retailers. Leavenworth's transformation into a theme town was inspired, and assisted, by Solvang, California. Later, the Washington town of Winthrop followed Leavenworth's example and adopted a Western town theme. The Bavarianization of the town waned by the 1990s but was revived through the establishment of annual events, including an Oktoberfest begun in 1998. Leavenworth is home to the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum, which opened in 1995 and contains more than 7,000 nutcrackers dating from the 16th and 17th centuries to modern examples. The city hosts an annual Christmas tree lighting celebration in December that draws thousands of visitors and causes congestion on local highways.

The town of Okanogan Washington has a population of approximately 2,480. This historic town is the county seat of Okanogan County and the gateway to north central Washington State, and southern British Columbia. Many historic buildings remain including the Courthouse, built in 1915, and the Methodist Church, built in 1921. The Okanogan area offers wide open spaces teaming with wildlife, fantastic scenery and warm charm. It features a diverse blend of snow covered peaks and rolling hills. There's also lots of history here. Look for the unique murals that grace many buildings in the downtown core. In 1903, Frank Matsura, a Japanese immigrant, arrived in the area as a cook’s helper. He became a beloved member of the community and world-renowned photographer, recording the frontier era and Native American heritage. Besides the murals depicting his work, the Okanogan County Historical Society houses many of Matsura’s photographs and a replica of his studio.

With jagged peaks, panoramic views, and alpine lakes, North Cascades National Park is often referred to as the American Alps. Tucked away in the state’s northwest corner, the park includes more than 300 glaciers and a seemingly endless inventory of waterfalls from which the Cascade Range gets its name. One of the lesser-visited national parks in the country, the North Cascades makes a great destination for those looking to disconnect in nature while still being within easy reach of cities and amenities.

La Conner is located at the edge of the Skagit Valley, the largest tulip-growing region in the world and host of an annual tulip festival in April.

With a maximum depth of 1,486 ft (453 m), Lake Chelan is the third deepest lake in the United States behind Crater Lake, the deepest, and Lake Tahoe, the second deepest. Because of overdeepening, the sides of this lake drop steeply to its bottom. The deepest part of Lake Chelan lies as much as 436 ft (133 m) below sea level. In places, the bedrock floor of the valley occupied by Lake Chelan, which is buried by Pleistocene glacial and lacustrine sediments, lies at least 1,529 ft (466 m) below sea level.

Mount Vernon and its surrounding areas is known for its annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, which has Mount Vernon host a street fair in downtown once a year, with millions of tulips grown in the Skagit Valley every year.

The Newhalem area is home to a handful of accessible trails, including the nearby Sterling Munro Boardwalk, the Trail of the Cedars, and the Rock Shelter Trail. By crossing the Skagit River via a footbridge at the Gorge Powerhouse, visitors can hike to the top of Ladder Creek Falls and soak up the sights and sounds of a glacially fed waterfall. The nearby Gorge Powerhouse contains a visitor gallery that is open to the public and provides a look at the workings of a hydroelectric powerhouse, as well as the history of the Skagit Hydroelectric Project. The town of Newhalem that visitors see today is a company town owned and operated by Seattle City Light. Explore the grounds with access to bathrooms, a General Store, and the Skagit Information Center (seasonally).

The Skagit Valley lies in the northwestern corner of the state of Washington. Its defining feature is the Skagit River, which snakes through local communities. The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is a spring festival attended by thousands of visitors.

Enjoy views of glacial-fed Diablo Lake, located within the heart of North Cascades. See rugged mountains that rise around the lake and the historic Diablo Dam in the distance. In summer, the distinctive turquoise color of the lake is the result of suspended fine rock particles refracting sunlight. These rock particles, called glacial flour, enter the lake when rock from the surrounding mountains is eroded by ice and flows into the water through glacial streams. The color is most vibrant on sunny days in July, August, and September when seasonal glacial melt occurs.

Winthrop is known for the American Old West design of all its buildings, making it a tourist destination. The town theme idea was inspired by the example of Leavenworth, Washington, which in turn was heavily based on Solvang, California. Winthrop and the surrounding area has 120 miles (190 km) of groomed cross-country skiing trails. The town is home to Three Fingered Jack's, which claims to be the "oldest saloon in Washington". It opened in 1972 but was cited by the state government for use of the word "saloon"; the term's use at bars was legalized by the state legislature in 1979.