December · WA

North Cascades National Park in December.

By Nicholas Major · Last updated

North Cascades National Park in December suits a prepared, flexible winter trip, not a casual mountain drive. Newhalem's normal high is 40°F (4°C), with a low of 33°F (0°C). Plan around the normal winter highway closure, and let road and weather checks decide whether to go.

NOAA's Newhalem station represents a low-elevation western gateway. These normals do not describe alpine trails, Stehekin or the east side. Zero station snowfall does not establish snow-free mountain routes.

In short

December averages 13 national-park recreation visits. That excludes Ross Lake and Lake Chelan recreation areas; it does not measure Highway 20 traffic or show whether a route is safe to use.

Check before you go

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Plan a return trip, not a mountain crossing

Highway 20 normally closes in mid- to late November and reopens in April or early May. Do not build a December itinerary around crossing the mountains on that road.

Check road information and the forecast before leaving. NPS warns that winter storms can bring downed trees, flooding, trail washouts and avalanche hazards. Choose an outing only when the approach and conditions fit your preparation; keep a change of plan available.

Prepare for a delayed return

NPS winter guidance recommends warm layers, extra food and water, and a sleeping bag or warm blankets in case travel is disrupted. Cell service is very limited in the complex, and roads may not be regularly plowed. Check your route before leaving cell coverage.

Newhalem averages 6.3 inches of December snowfall. That is monthly accumulated snowfall at the low western gateway, not snow depth or an alpine forecast. Use route information and winter hazard guidance rather than the station's temperature alone to decide whether a walk is suitable.

Questions about December

Is December a good time to visit North Cascades National Park?

Only for a flexible winter trip with suitable preparation. The normal highway crossing is closed, storms can disrupt travel, and the low gateway temperature does not describe mountain conditions. Check the route and weather before committing to an outing.

Does it snow in North Cascades in December?

Newhalem's normal December snowfall totals 6.3 inches at the low western gateway. That measures snowfall accumulated over the month, not snow on the ground. It does not describe higher trails or tell you whether a route is usable.

Sources and limits

NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals: NEWHALEM, WA US (USC00455840), 525 feet. Normal high: 39.5°F (4.2°C); normal low: 32.5°F (0.3°C). These are long-term averages, not a forecast.

NPS Visitor Use Statistics Data Package, 2025: 2021–2025 average recreation visits for North Cascades National Park (NOCA). The December 2025 count is 3. Counts measure visits, not unique people or a day's parking pressure.

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Independent site. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Park Service. Data comes from the official NPS Visitor Use Statistics Data Package, 2025; editorial analysis is ours. The NPS Arrowhead and other NPS marks are not used.

Last updated · 2026-10-15