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A white Tacoma with a camper shell parked on a rise above a broad, empty basin under building cloud.

National Park Service group campground

Upper Goodell Group Campground

National Park Service group campground in North Cascades National Park, Whatcom County, Washington. About 500 feet. 24.4 miles from Concrete.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
National Park Service North Cascades National Park
Elevation
About 500 ft As the National Park Service states
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Whatcom County

Overview

Upper Goodell Group Campground is a quiet, remote facility for tent camping on the banks of Goodell Creek in North Cascades National Park. The campground is the perfect place to relax while watching the rushing creek cascade over its rocky course.

The area is more remote and up a slightly steeper road than nearby Lower Goodell Group Campground. The elevation is 500' above sea level. Both Upper and Lower Goodell Group Campgrounds are convenient hubs for day trips to the visitor center, hiking trails and the nearby town of Newhalem.

Recreation

Nature abounds in the Goodell Gorge, where visitors enjoy exploring the scenery, viewing wildlife and birding. Black bears inhabit the area, so caution must be taken while hiking, picnicking or camping. Many miles of hiking trails are within a short drive. The creek and nearby Skagit River offer fishing for trout, salmon and steelhead. There is no boating or swimming at the site.

Facilities

The facility has a picnic shelter and pit toilet for visitors' convenience. No potable water. Water is available at the main Goodell Creek campground on the south side of State Route 20.

The campground has one group site, which can comfortably fit 12 to 20 people with a maximum capacity of 30.

Natural Features

The site lies among lush ancient forests of western redcedar, western hemlock and Douglas-fir trees. The creek's headwaters begin in the surrounding mountains, pick up cold, clean glacial meltwater along the way, and eventually empty into the Skagit River. The creek provides a sampling of the colorful crystalline rocks of the North Cascade Core, which formed deep underground and is now revealed in the rugged terrain of the North Cascade Range.

Nearby Attractions

The campground is a short drive or a long walk to the visitor center, and the nearest store is in Newhalem.

The description, directions and fees are the National Park Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • camping
  • hiking

The land around Upper Goodell Group Campground

The ringed pin is this group campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated February 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.

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