Upon first sight of Ross Lake, many visitors had not believed the sun-kissed, vivid colors of its waters in its pictures were real. Seattle City Light operates Skagit Dam, which impounds the surreal Ross Lake. Ross Lake narrowly winds south to north on the Skagit River with a part of it in Canada in the Ross Lake National Recreation Area, (NRA).
Ross Lake snakes through the Skagit River Valley in the northeastern region of the vast North Cascades National Park (NCNP). The NCNP sweeps over 504,654 acres, or, to put it in additional perspective, 788-square miles, two and three hours northeast of Seattle, Washington. A small part of Ross Lake crosses into the Skagit Valley, Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada.
Things to Do At Ross Lake
Ross Lake provides the extreme in alpine adventures and only 15 luxurious floating cabins at the Ross Lake Resort. Camping, canoeing and kayaking (yours or rented), rented motor boating, fishing, hiking, and hunting await explorers who yearn for the wild outdoors.
Ross Lake is open for making life-time memories year-round, but Ross Lake sees most of its visitors from June to October, and roads to its trailheads to the shores close in the winter due to weather. Ross Lake’s water level decreases significantly in the winter, and water taxis do not run.
Camping at Ross Lake
Ross Lake campsites require backcountry camping permits, which are free, but first-come, first-served. You must apply for backcountry permits at: North Cascades Backcountry Permits site on Recreation.gov.
Campsites are accessible by boat in and hike in only. Store everything appropriately at all times for your and the wildlife’s safety. This applies to camping on the islands. Most animals, including bear, cougar, and deer can and do swim. Pack out all leftover food and garbage, and keep a clean camp.
Camping is limited to 14 days from July 1, through Labor Day, and to 30 days the rest of the year.. Of the four Ross Lake islands, Cat Island has four campsites, Cougar Island has two, and Ten Mile Island has three. In all, Ross Lake has 19 boat in campsites, with about 58 campsites in total.
Most visitors do not encounter grizzly and black bears, mountain lions, and wolves camping at Ross Lake. Yet, it is imperative to store all food, garbage, cooking items, and anything else with an odor securely in the provided food storage lockers whenever they are not in camp actively cooking. Smaller critters will come around too, and salty food attracts deer.
Ross Lake Resort Luxury Cabins
This resort offers the famous 15 floating cabins Ross Lake is known for. Visitors must book them in advance, and even then, reservations are scooped up quickly. These cabins offer luxurious, fully furnished kitchens and bathrooms of four sizes, and sleep from one, five to six, less than ten, and up to ten to 12 guests.
The Ross Lake Resort operates a water taxi to and from the Ross Lake/Dam trailhead from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. There is no store or restaurant. If you book a cabin or a campsite, you must bring all the food you plan on cooking with you. If at a campsite, you must pack out all your trash.
A spring charged by water that bubbles through Sourdough Mountain supplies the resort’s drinking water. Pets are not allowed for guests who book cabins. Ross Lake Resort closes in the winter, surviving with a skeleton crew of three or four to shovel snow, build wooden boats, and keep up with general maintenance.
Hiking Trails at Ross Lake
The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, U.S., North Cascade National Park, U.S., and Skagit Valley Provincial Park, BC, Canada, surrounds Ross Lake. Hundreds of miles of trails climb up and down the North Cascades mountain range, with quite a few heading off right of Ross Lake’s shores.
Hikers need to be aware of weather conditions, wear appropriate clothes, shoes, and gear for the season, let someone know where they plan on going, and take a compass. There is no internet or cell phone service.
The following is an overview of how all the trails around Ross Lake’s shores interconnect with each other and the surrounding mountains without mileage or skill levels.
Ross Lake’s Eastern Shore Trails
Hikers can hike the entire eastern shoreline of Ross Lake via a system of trails. The Willow Lake/Hozomeen Lake Trail trailhead leads out of Hozomeen Campground on Ross Lake’s eastern shore just south of the Canadian border. It loops around tiny Hozomeen Lake and joins with the Lightning Creek Trail.
Significant mountain peaks in the Ross Lake area include Desolation Peak, Hozomeen Mountain, Jack Mountain, and Sourdough Mountain. The Lightening Creek Trail leads west to the Lightning Creek boat ramp and then north up to Desolation Peak.
At the Lightening Creek boat ramp, hikers can head south on the East Bank Trail. You pass the campsites, Lightning Creek, Horsecamp, Lodgepole, and Ponderosa. From here, at Devil’s Junction campsite, you can take the short out and back Devil’s Creek Pass Trail east.
Continuing south on the East Bank Trail, you pass the Rainbow Point, Spencer’s Camp, McMillan, and Rowland Point campsites. After Rowland Point, the East Bank Trail weaves away from the shoreline to the Jack Mountain Trail, which goes east to Jack Mountain.
From the junction of the Jack Mountain Trail, the East Bank Trail continues south to the Ruby Arm on Ross Lake and the Ruby Arm campsite. Past Ruby Arm, the East Bank Trail ventures further south to the East Bank Trailhead on SR 20.
Ross Lake Western Shore Trails
At the SR 20 East Bank Trailhead, the trail crosses SR 20 and turns into the Ruby Creek Trailhead the treks north up the west side of Ruby Arm to the Happy Creek Trailhead at SR 20, 1/4-mile east of the Ross Dam Trailhead on SR 20 at Ross Dam.
The Happy Creek Trail is an out and back trail that follows Happy Creek south of SR 20. From a short distance of the Ross Damn Trailhead, you can go southwest to Diablo Lake or north along Ross Lake’s western shore on the Big Beaver West Bank/Pacific NW Trail.
First, this trail takes you past Ross Lake Resort to Green Point Lookout. From here, you can head south on the short Green Point Camp Trail to the Green Point campsite.
Or you can head on north on the Big Beaver/Pacific NW Trail past the Cougar Island area on Ross Lake where it intersects with the Sourdough Mountain Trail, which heads back east to the shore across from Cougar Island. Further north on Ross Lake’s western shore lays the Little Beaver Trail that leads to Beaver Pass.
You can also go east on Sourdough Mountain Trail to Sourdough Mountain Lookout. When you get back to the Big Beaver/Pacific NW Trail from Sourdough Mountain, you can continue north to the Pumpkin Mountain and Big Beaver campsites, and from there, go on northwest to Thirtynine Mile Campground.
You could follow Big Beaver Trail many more miles northwest to the Luna Campground and beyond in the North Cascades NP. The trails around Ross Lake entice a hiker’s heart, and people can plan as long or short of a hike as they desire.
Hunting Ross Lake
The WDFW allows hunting at Ross Lake NRA and sets fall hunting season opening and closing dates each year. Black bear, deer, elk, and rabbits are popular prey in the North cascades. Hunting outfitters and guides stand ready, offering charters to hunters and hunting parties.
Hunters must abide by WDFW regulations at Ross Lake NRA and the North cascades NP. If you purchased a hunting license and tag(s) or permits for big game, turkey, or migratory birds, you must submit a hunter report even if you did not harvest (to provide critical information for estimating total harvest and hunting effort).
Ross Lake’s Location
The Ross Lake (NRA) is the most accessible part of the North Cascades National Park Service Complex, which also includes the Lake Chelan NRA. And even better, there are no entrance fees! Ross Lake is remote. Dozens of mountain streams dance downhill into Ross Lake. There is no direct vehicle access to Ross Lake.
You can visit Ross Lake via two modes of transportation, boat in, hike in, or by water taxi. The primary access points for motorists into the North Cascades NP are in the Ross Lake NRA. Only two roads leading to Ross Lake allow vehicles. Travelers to Ross Lake must exchange modes of transportation.
Can You Hike to Ross Lake Resort?
Not only can you hike, but you must hike into Ross Lake—or boat in.
North Route to Ross Lake:
This route takes visitors to the northeastern border of Ross Lake. From BC, Canada, or from the Hozomeen Ranger Station, just south of the Canadian/US border in the U.S. Visitors can take gravel-paved Silver Skagit Road south. From there, park at the Ross Lake Trailhead, hike another gravel road, and then hike to your destination on the trails or book a water taxi to where you want to go.
Ross Lake Resort on the Southern Tip of Ross Lake:
The southern route takes visitors to Ross Lake on Washington SR 20 (SR 20) on the south. SR 20 can close in the winter for four-plus months. From Seattle, take I-5 north to SR 20 east. From there, take SR 20’s terminus east out of Okanogan, Washington.
- Park your car on SR 20 at milepost 134 at the Ross Lake Dam trailhead.
- Hike 1-mile down the trail.
- Turn right onto the gravel road at the end of the trail.
- Follow the road down to the lake, where you will see the resort across the lake.
- Call the Lake Ross Resort water taxi from the phone on the last power pole by the side of the road, and follow the dialing instructions located inside the box to the resort.
- The water taxi is an on-demand service that operates from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days per week, and costs $4 per person each way; no reservations are needed.
To Ross Lake from Diablo Lake:
- If you have time to visit both Diablo Lake and Ross Lake, another way to go is via the Diablo/Seattle City Light Ferry service from Diablo Lake. This ferry runs twice daily at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Reservations are required.
- For hikers, there are occupancy and gear restrictions on the ferry, so hiking in is encouraged.
- It is not recommended to use this option if renting equipment or boats because visitors will pay a full-day rental and have little time to use them.
To Hike into Ross Lake:
Three trails along the North Cascades Highway lead to Ross Lake:
- Diablo Lake Trail
- East Bank Trail
- Ross Dam Trail
Why Is Ross Lake so Blue?
Glacial flour consists of rock ground like fine sand and silt that is “scoured” off the rock underneath a glacier when it migrates. Today’s glacial lakes formed during the exit of the Pleistocene Epoch (last ice age). It began about 2.6 million years ago and lasted until approximately 11,000 years ago.
Glacial flour paints the water in natural glacial lakes and manmade lakes in alpine regions, like Ross Lake, with brilliant vivid hues that sparkle. Most glacial lakes or alpine water bodies glimmer with striking tones of blues and greens. Glacial flour, aka rock flour, is so fine that it suspends in glacial waters instead of sinking to the lakebed.
Apparently, the glacial ice sheet, also called a continental glacier, which covered North America during the Pleistocene Epoch, produced an infinite amount of glacial flour when it began melting. You can see all kinds of various colors from glacial flour in alpine water bodies across the globe.
Can You Swim in Ross Lake, Washington?
Visitors report swimming in Ross Lake as a glorious experience. However, there are a few things to be aware of. It takes physical work to reach Ross Lake. Its waters are cold even in the hottest months, from July to September. Jump in freely as long as you pay heed to safety.
Yes, you can swim along the trails that follow Ross Lake’s shoreline. At the Ross Lake Resort and Hozomeen Campground, visitors are only allowed to swim near the sandy beach areas at the resort. Swimmers in Ross Lake must be aware of rapid onset hypothermia. Ross Lake’s water temperature rarely tops 50° F.
Ross Lake’s waters rarely heat up at all a few feet below its surface from July through September, the region’s hottest months. Even in the summer, unexpected storms are common. North Cascades’ weather is unpredictable and subject to unexpected changes. Going overboard a boat in a sudden storm can result in rapid onset hypothermia.
Unless you love polar bear plunging or ice baths, easing into cold water helps acclimation. When you first get in the water, move slowly. Let your body acclimate to the temperature. At first, stay nearer to the shore where the water is warmer as you acclimate. Be careful when swimming deeper because the water temperature drops quickly the further out you go.
Max Depth of Ross Lake
Inquiring minds frequently ask, “How deep is Ross Lake, Washington?” The Ross Dam, originally called Ruby Dam, impounds Ross Lake. Seattle City Light built Ruby Dam in three phases between 1937 and 1949.
At full pool, Ross Lake’s deepest point is 488.4-feet deep at the Ross Dam. Ross Lake is 22.1 to 23-miles long and rises to an elevation of 1,602.5-feet high. Its water level fluctuates in fall, winter, and spring. During the winter, the power plant draws the lake down for storage to less than 100-feet deep.
Can You Kayak on Ross Lake?
Kayaking, canoeing, and motor boating are popular activities on Ross Lake. If you bring your own kayak or canoe, it is a haul to get to the launches at Diablo and Ross Lakes.
Yes, you can bring your own canoe or kayak, but you must portage your vessel, food, and gear to Ross Lake’s shores. The Ross Lake Resort rents motorboats, kayaks, canoes, and fishing gear at Ross Lake.
If a visitor does manage to transport a motorboat to Ross Lake, all motor boats operating within the Ross Lake NRA require the exclusive use of four-stroke engines, direct-injection two-stroke engines, or equivalent technology.
What Type of Fish Are in Ross Lake, Washington?
The first thing anglers are advised to do before their first fishing adventure at Ross Lake is to check out the Washing State Fishing Regulations. Some Ross Lake game species are protected. Anglers must obtain a Washington fishing license from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
Ross Lake supports native bull trout, rainbow trout, and Dolly Varden fisheries. Anglers mostly catch rainbow, cutthroat, and eastern brook trout. The WDFW protects bull trout and Dolly Varden, and they must be released. The WDFW allows only knotless nets, artificial flies or lures, and barbless hooks. It does not allow bait or scent usage.
Fishing season opens July 1st and runs until October 31st. If anglers venture up Ross Lake’s tributaries, they will find productive catch-and-release fly-fishing. All Washington Game Fish regulations, seasons, and catch limits apply.
Dolly Varden: Why Did They Name a Fish After Her? Who Was She?
Dolly Varden is a char species. The simplest way to tell a char from a trout is by appearance. Trout have light bodies with dark spots. Char have dark bodies with light spots. Dolly Varden are pretty fish because of their bright spots and spawning colors and are sometimes confused with Atlantic char.
While alive and posthumously, English author Charles Dickens’ popularity rose high in the U.S. throughout the mid-1800s and beyond. The name Dolly Varden stems from the popular character of a girl with a rosy complexion in Dickens’ novel, Barnaby Rudge, published in 1841. By the late 1860s, a fabric manufacturer marketed a popular green fabric adorned with small crimson polka dots under the name Dolly Varden.
Lore has it that 15-year-old Elda McCloud’s uncle, George Campbell, caught a char that had a trout’s name in the upper McCloud River in California. Upon seeing her uncle’s catch, Elda remarked, “Bull trout is a poor name for such colorful fish and that they would better be called Dolly Varden…” as this char species is commonly called today.
Ross Lake: Know Before You Go
Approximately a million visitors from the U.S. and around the globe make the trek into Ross Lake NRA each year. No current data is available for yearly visitors to Ross Lake itself. Because of Ross Lake’s ultimate remote location, visitors need to make preparations and take safety precautions.
- Expect rough terrain, strenuous hikes, and unpredictable extreme weather conditions.
- The water temperature can be frigidly cold even in the heat of the summer because deep lakes rarely heat up below the first few feet of the surface water.
- There are no food vendors, stores, or restaurants. Visitors must pack in food and supplies to cook out or rent one of only 15 cabins with fully furnished kitchens.
- Know what to do in a bear or snake encounter, and prepare for ticks and biting insects.
- Be aware of animal traps and in hunting areas
- There is no internet or cell phone service. Visitors cannot call family or friends.
- No drones or unmanned aircraft are allowed.
- Pets are allowed at most exterior areas and trails as marked. Most picnic and camping areas require:
- Must be restrained or kept on a leash no longer than six feet at all times.
- Dogs must wear a collar with current tags at all times,
- Dog parents must pick up after their dogs at all times and leave no trace.
- Pets are not allowed:
- Inside buildings and at swimming areas, unless a service animal.
- To be left alone in vehicles.
