Relax and Reflect in Rasar State Park
Rasar State Park (https://parks.wa.gov/find-parks/state-parks/rasar-state-park) offers a peaceful taste of the forest with some great Skagit River views, a few barrier-free hikes, and several wheelchair-accessible deluxe camping cabins. This lush state park is located about 40 miles west of the North Cascades National Park Visitor Center in Newhalem, just off Highway 20. And with a second-growth forest filled with big-leaf maples, Douglas firs and western red cedars, it’s the perfect place to sit back, relax and enjoy all that Mother Nature has to offer.
Stay in Style
If you’d like to spend the night in Rasar State Park, but don’t want to pitch a tent, then check out one of their three wheelchair-accessible deluxe camping cabins. There’s accessible parking in front of the accessible Chinook Cabin, with paved access over to the front porch. Outside there’s an accessible picnic table and a raised grill, and two oversized Adirondack chairs.
The cabin features a level threshold, wide doorways, lever handles, good pathway access and laminate floors for easy rolling. There’s a small kitchen counter area, with a few cabinets and a sink, with a dinning table and four chairs next to it. The kitchen includes a microwave, a small refrigerator and a K Cup coffee maker (bring your own K Cups).
This rustic cabin features exposed beams and natural wood, and includes hand crafted log furniture. For sleeping, there’s a 16-inch high futon in the living area and a bunk bed near the bathroom. The bunk bed includes a 16-inch high double on the bottom and a single on the top. There’s a night table next to the bunk beds, and a floor lamp in the living area. Top it off with a roomy closet, overhead lights, heating and a ceiling fan, and you have a pretty comfortable setup.
The bathroom features a full five-foot turning radius and includes a 36-inch-square transfer-type shower, with a fold-down shower bench, a hand-held showerhead and grab bars. The toilet grab bars are located on the back and left walls (as seated) and the bathroom also has a roll-under sink.
The Coho Cabin, which is located next door has the same access features, but if you want more privacy, choose the Skagit Cabin across the road. On the plus side, all of the cabins are surrounded by the lush forest.
Take a Hike
Even though it’s fairly small, Rasar State Park offers a varied landscape with several accessible trails. Most of the trails are located in the south area of the park, near the Skagit River. There’s accessible parking near the picnic area, and level access over to the trailheads. There are also accessible picnic tables on the grass, if you’d like to stop for a short lunch break.
The paved Skagit River Access begins near the picnic area, and winds through the meadow out to the river. It’s about a .3-mile jaunt down to the river, and although you can walk a little further on the hard-packed sand beach, the wheelchair-access ends at that point. After that you’ll encounter steps, bumps, rocks, and a significant uphill climb. Still, it’s a nice accessible out-and-back trail to the river.
The Cedar Trail also starts in the picnic area. This hard-packed dirt trail leads through a canopy of trees, before the access ends at the .25-mile point. Still it’s another nice out-and-back walk, and there are a few shaded picnic tables along the way.
Another accessible trail option is located on the north side of the park. This hard-packed dirt trail loops through the second-growth forest, past the cabins and group campsites. This 1.5-mile trail begins across the road from the Chinook Cabin and to the right of the Skagit Cabin, and continues past the group camps and the private lands that border the park. And if you’d like a shorter hike, it’s easy to exit the trail at the halfway point.
Finally, if you’d like to hike through some old growth forest nearby, be sure to check out Rockport State Park and Baker Lake for some accessible options. It’s a great way to extend a Rasar State Park Visit.
Barrier-Free Travel
Washington National Parks
for Wheelers and Slow Walkers