Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake is located in the spectacular North Cascades National Park in Washington State along the North Cascades Scenic Highway.  The North Cascades National Park is the most glaciated mountain system in the Continental US, with 312 glaciers in total.  

Diablo Lake was formed after the construction of Diablo Dam in the late 1920’s to harness hydro electric power from the Skagit River.  This pristine lake is ringed by dramatic mountains up to 6,000 feet in elevation.  During summer months visitors can hear the constant flow of snowmelt and water descending from the lofty heights of these majestic mountains.

The Desolation Peak fire lookout above Diablo Lake is also famous as the location author Jack Kerouac spent the summer of 1956, and was the setting for his novel “Desolation Angels”.

Directions to Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake can be accessed 6 miles past Newhalem on the North Cascades Scenic Highway. Just take the North Cascades Environmental Center exit, and enjoy a thrilling 5-minute drive down to the base of the lake across the top of the 389 feet Diablo Dam.

Diablo Lake Boat Tours

Although the highway offers a bird’s eye view of Diablo Lake, the best way to see it is by boat on a Skagit Tour departing from the North Cascades Environmental Center.  Skagit Tours must be booked well in advance and are only available in summer.  The Environmental Center also offers overnight accommodation and a variety of multi-day vacation programs for families and children.  Yoga retreats are also available.

The first public boat tour of Diablo Lake was offered in 1927 to visitors from Seattle, and became immensely popular due to the efforts of pioneer J.D.Ross, the father and early superintendent of the Skagit Hydro-electricity project.

The tour begins with a delicious brunch at the North Cascades Environmental Center, followed by a ranger talk at an open air amphitheater and a walk to the boat launch.  Visitors then board the Skagit Tour boat, “Alice Ross III”, for a 1-hour tour. 

The boat travels across Diablo Lake past two enchanting islands.  The tour is narrated by both a Park Ranger and Naturalist, providing fascinating insight into the rich history of the lake.  This history includes the elaborate boat tours once staged by J.D.Ross to impress visitors, featuring classical music, surprises hidden on the islands, and even an island populated with monkeys.

The boat then enters a deep, rugged gorge offering a glimpse of true wilderness.  The magnificent John Pierce Falls soon come into view, named after a construction worker who fell from the highway above to the falls below, but miraculously survived.  After a brief glimpse of the Ross Lake Dam, the boat turns around and retraces its path back to the boat launch.  Remote Ross Lake is also part of the Skagit Hydroelectricity Project comprising Diablo, Ross and Gorge Lakes.

After leaving the boat tour, visitors are free to explore the gift shop and trails at the North Cascades Environmental Center.

Camping & accommodation near Diablo Lake

Check camping and lodging options along the North Cascades Scenic Highway.

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