Ross Lake National Recreation Area occupies the Skagit River corridor in north-central Washington near the Canada-U.S. border and forms the most accessible part of the North Cascades National Park Complex. Separating the north and south units of North Cascades National Park, it is shaped by the North Cascades Highway and by three hydroelectric reservoirs—Ross, Diablo, and Gorge lakes—that create a landscape of steep-sided water, mountain scenery, boating access, and roadside viewpoints. The area is a major base for fishing, hunting, paddling, climbing, hiking, and camping, with trail connections into surrounding wilderness. Newhalem anchors visitor services, and Desolation Peak Lookout is closely linked to Jack Kerouac's summer there in 1956.