Cascade River - Skagit Land Trust

[48.52965,-121.4049]

Property Type: Trust-Owned
Date Added: 2014

Cascade River
136.7 acres
Open to the Public

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Cascade River Conservation Area protects over 136 acres of forestland and shoreline along the Cascade River outside the town of Marblemount. The Cascade River is a major tributary to the upper Skagit River that drains from the North Cascades mountains.

Conservation Story

This Conservation Area is made up of three properties; Cascade River North was first protected in 2014 with funding from the Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB) and a generous match provided by Seattle City Light. Cascade River South I was protected in 2015 with funding from SRFB, Seattle City Light, and Skagit Watershed Council. Cascade River South II was acquired initially by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and was transferred to SLT in 2017. is one of nine properties transferred from TNC to Skagit Land Trust in 2017. Together, these properties total 1,024 acres and expanded the lands managed by Skagit Land Trust by more than one third at the time of transfer.

Click here to read more about the land acquisition between The Nature Conservancy and the Skagit Land Trust in our Summer 2017 Newsletter.

Bald eagle habitat protection was a motivating factor for The Nature Conservancy and other community partners to conserve many properties in this area over 30 years ago. The Cascade River Conservation Area is part of over 8,000 acres of habitat that comprise the Skagit River Bald Eagle Natural Area.

“It was the endangered bald eagle that brought The Nature Conservancy to the Skagit in the 1970’s. And it was the salmon – that eagles and so many other species depend on – that sustained our attention through the years. As we look to the future it’s the people. People need to steward this landscape; and they will benefit for generations from its natural beauty and abundance.” said TNC Strategic Partnerships Director Bob Carey. “Skagit Land Trust is the perfect organization to make sure these connections between people and nature endure.”

The Skagit Eagle Festival is a month-long celebration during the eagle-watching season in eastern Skagit County, founded and supported by the communities of the upper Skagit. Activities take place in Concrete, Rockport, and Marblemount every full weekend in January. Running for over 30 years, the Skagit Eagle Festival attracts thousands of visitors to these communities to view hundreds of bald eagles.

Site History and Ecology

Cascade River Conservation Area provides excellent habitat along the Cascade River with over 8,100 feet of river shoreline habitat. Habitat includes a mosaic of streams, wetlands, and riparian woodlands for a wide variety of fish and wildlife. The streams provide connectivity from the Cascade River to upstream habitat for native aquatic species, especially salmon and steelhead. The streams also provide these aquatic species with spawning habitat. Salmonids such as Chinook Salmon and Bull trout utilize the river. The property is also adjacent to identified habitat for the Northern Spotted Owl and Marbled Murrelet.

This property contains a narrow band of high‐quality riparian forest along the Cascade River, with a high diversity of native plants supporting a variety of wildlife. Key plant species found in the riparian forest include Red Alder, Western Red Cedar, Black Cottonwood, and Big Leaf Maple. The majority of the property is a maturing riparian forest with a mix of coniferous and deciduous species. Stumps on the property indicate it was logged at least once since the 1900s.

The Cascade River is a tributary to the Skagit River which drains from the North Cascades National Park and Mount-Baker Snoqualmie National Forest. Cascade Pass, one of the most popular trails in North Cascades National Park, is just 10 miles upstream.

The property provides important spawning grounds for endangered species of fish (including Bull Trout and Chinook Salmon) as well as habitat for other birds and mammals including bald eagles, raptors, river otter, black bear, coyote, and marten.

Within the Cascade River Conservation Area live sensitive types of lichen that can only grow in places with high air quality. The shallow soil and open nature of this site supports a large variety of plants such as wildflowers and berries, which in turn provide food for wildlife in the area.

Access

Cascade River Conservation Area is open to low impact use public access. The entrance is on South Cascade Road. The entrance is blocked by eco-blocks. Beyond the eco-blocks, the Conservation Area is easily walkable with a short path that leads to the banks of the Cascade River.

How to Get There

This property has two different access points:

From Mount Vernon: Drive east on Highway 20. In Marblemount, go straight onto the Cascade River Road instead of turning north on 20. Cross the Skagit River, drive 0.7 miles and then turn right to cross the Cascade River. Immediately turn left onto South Cascade River Road. The property lies on the left (north) side of the road in approximately 0.3 miles
From Mount Vernon: Drive east on Highway 20. In Marblemount, continue straight across the bridge onto Cascade River Road. Turn right on Rockport Cascade Road, then take the first left onto South Cascade Road. Drive 1.3 miles. The South Cascade River Conservation Area will be on the left, to the north. There is a parking area with a road continuing into the property, blocked by a gate.