A couple weeks ago I wrote about my Diablo Lake Trail and Skagit Trail hikes. In the midst of that, I somehow forgot to write about my excellent stay at the Cascade River House. This must be remedied!
The Cascade River House is located just outside Marblemount, which, with its whopping population of roughly 200 people, is one of my favorite little towns in the state. I thought I grew up deep in the country…then I saw Marblemount and realized I didn’t know what a country town was.
The Cascade River House location is pinned to the map below. It’s relatively easy to find and isn’t far from the town’s two gas stations, so worst comes to worst you can ask directions. Those gas stations are also stocked as little grocery stores, by the way, so you can get supplies there.
The Cascade River House has an actual house, and for people with larger parties I recommend checking it out. What I used was the “luxury” camper trailer parked on the grounds. It was a great compromise between camping and staying in a hotel.
The trailer is tucked behind trees, keeping it visually separated from the house. You don’t feel like you’re sharing property with the people in the house. While I was there, a woman and her two daughters stayed at the house. They stopped by briefly to chat, but other than that I never felt like my peace was ruined by their presence.
The trailer’s got a shower, toilet, and three beds. The kitchen’s got all the basics. None of this mattered a great deal to me, to be honest, as I planned on spending the least amount of time as possible indoors.
What mattered most to me was the grounds, and I wasn’t disappointed. The trailer’s yard’s got a great fire pit with good airflow. The owners keep the place fully stocked with firewood, as well. If you head towards the house itself, you’ll see a big garage, and you can find big stacks of wood behind it.
The river is just over the hill from the trailer. You can hear it flow from the trailer, in fact. The views of the mountains in the distance are stunning. You can fish the river, too, though I personally didn’t do that.
My stay at the Cascade River House was very quiet relaxing. I went through a lot of wood, as is my wont while being outdoors. During the days I went hiking and at night I sat by the fire, enjoyed some Sam Adams Summer Ale, and gazed at the stars with the soothing sound of the river nearby.
If you’re not up for camping but don’t want to stay in a hotel or buy your own trailer, I wholeheartedly recommend the Cascade River House luxury trailer. In fact, after staying in multiple places in Marblemount, I’d give it my highest recommendation (though if you have the chance and the inclination I simply must recommend tent camping there at least once).
For the North Cascades National Park area, I rate it as highly as I rate the Quinalt River Inn for the Lake Quinault area.
