North Cascades National Park Service Complex - Life Zones (U.S. National Park Service)

Just like you, a plant or animal has an "address", that describes its natural home or habitat. Like any close-knit community, the North Cascades consist of different "neighborhoods" of habitat -- defined by elevation -- called lifezones.

Alpine Zone

Rocky Ridges: Life in an Icebox

At high elevations, nature's freezer defrosts drip by drip. Cracking blue clusters of ice bury the tops of treeless rocks. Frigid winds and constant snowfall challenge organisms to adapt. Ice worms and red algae are some of the few life forms nurtured at the summits of the alpine zone.

Where to visit Alpine zones:
Elevation 7,000+ feet or 2,100+ meters

Hike:
High mountain peaks and ridges can be difficult to reach 200+ peaks offer equipped, experienced mountaineers alpine challenges from scrambles to multi-day climbs.

Subalpine Zone

Mountain Meadows: Winter Welcome Mats

Subalpine creatures nestle down in a habitat that invites chilly weather and nearly shrugs off summer. Stunted trees cluster on humps amid open meadows and rocky outcrops awaiting snow melt for a brief chance to grow after eight months of cold in the subalpine zone.

Where to visit Subalpine zones:
Elevation 4,000-7,000 feet or 1,200-2,100 meters

Hike: Cascade Pass, Heather and Maple Pass, Sourdough Mountain Trails in Mt. Baker NRA

Drive to: Heather Meadows

Silver Fir Zone

Mountain Forests: Wet and Wooded Mansions

If mountain forest habitat was a many-roomed house, the rivers and streams would be its hallways. Thousands of watery corridors connect the mountain slopes to the sea. These wet and wooded forests of the silver-fir zone provide shelter for many animals, including insects and birds.

Where to visit Silver Fir zones:
Elevation 2,000-5,500 feet or 600-1,700 meters

Hike: Cascade Pass Trail, Cascade and Baker Rivers

Drive to: Mt. Baker Scenic Byway, State Route 20 near Rainy Pass

Hemlock, Redcedar, Douglas-Fir Zone

River Valleys: Forest Floors Thrive on Soil

Most recipes for life in nature's kitchen start on the forest floor with fertile, moist soils, teeming with life. The hemlock, redcedar, Douglas-fir forest contains a great diversity of plants and animals, including more than 3,400 species of "bugs".

Where to visit Hemlock, Redcedar, Douglas-fir zones:
Elevation 0-2,000 feet or 0-600 meters

Hike:
Happy Creek Forest Walk - State Route 20
Shadows of the Sentinels - Baker Lake
Thunder Creek Trail - Diablo Lake
Horseshoe Bend Trail - Highway 542