3 Best Hotels in North Cascades National Park, Washington

It's not easy to snag a booking at this remote, unique place, the only lodging in the Ross Lake area, but it's worth the effort for a chance to immerse yourself in nature in a lakefront cabin. The smallest cabins sleep up to four; the three bunkhouses sleep from six to 10; and a two-story cabin sleeps up to nine. All have full kitchens, but you'll need to bring your own food since there's no store or restaurant. It's inaccessible by road but still fairly easy to reach via a short downhill hike from Highway 20 and then a five-minute water taxi ride.

Alongside pretty meadows at the edge of pine forest, this rustic ranch is a center for hikers and horseback riders, who stay in barnlike cabins with cedar paneling, tile floors, and a private bath, in trailer-like wagons that sleep two, or in canvas-roof tent cabins with bunk beds, kerosene lamps, and shared bathrooms. New in 2023, the solar-powered Ranch House sleeps six to nine people, with three bedrooms, kitchen, and laundry. Enormous breakfasts and meaty dinner buffets are turned out family-style at picnic tables in the lodgelike restaurant. Rates for ranch and tent cabins include accommodations, linens, meals, and transport from Stehekin Landing.

More than a century old, this sprawling resort sits on landscaped grounds alongside Lake Chelan; every room has a balcony with mountain and beach views, and some have a kitchen or fireplace. Two-bedroom cabins with a kitchen and porch are on the east side of the property, near the marina. The lively Veranda and Pub, with a European feel and lake views, serves simple rustic fare with an extensive menu of fine, reasonably priced local wines. Happy hour on the deck is popular in summer and there's live music on Friday nights. The parklike, family-friendly setting includes pristine beaches, picnic areas, barbecues, and lots of room to romp.