North Cascades National Park in northern Washington is the mountainous core of a larger protected complex and spans more than 500,000 acres. Split by the Skagit River corridor, it is marked by rugged peaks, vast forests, river headwaters, the largest glacial system in the contiguous United States, and exceptional plant diversity. Human use of the region reaches back 8,000 to 10,000 years, with early travel routes such as Cascade Pass and long use by Native peoples including the Skagit, Nlaka'pamux, Chelan, Okanogan, and Wenatchi. After exploration, limited mining, logging, and Skagit valley dams, the park was established in 1968 and remains notably undeveloped.