Which national park in the contiguous US contains the highest concentration of active glaciers?

North Cascades National Park contains the highest concentration of active glaciers among national parks in the contiguous United States. Located in Washington’s Cascade Range, it has more than 300 glaciers—roughly one-third of all glaciers in the Lower 48.

The park’s steep, rugged terrain was heavily shaped by ice. Glaciers carved U-shaped valleys, fed rivers and lakes, and continue to influence the region’s ecosystems and water supply. The North Cascades National Park Service Complex records about 312 glaciers, including ice fields, cirque glaciers, and hanging glaciers.

A common mix-up is Glacier National Park in Montana, whose name makes it sound like the obvious answer. Glacier does contain active glaciers, but North Cascades has the denser concentration. Mount Rainier is another frequent confusion: it is the most intensely glaciated individual peak in the contiguous United States, while North Cascades is the stronger answer for the overall park concentration.

The glaciers are also changing. Monitoring shows that North Cascades glaciers are retreating and losing mass, making them important indicators of regional climate change.