One of the nicest gifts of spring is when the snow melts in the Cascades, opening one of the most beautiful cross-state highways in Washington.

This is the North Cascades Highway, a.k.a. State Route 20. Every spring about this time, state crews clear the high-elevation scenic route, creating a special treat for RVers.

Welcome to another installment of RV Routes, our occasional series about iconic regional road trips. We’ve traveled the North Cascades in spring, summer and fall, but our fondest memories are from early season when the highway first reopens. It’s wild, snowy and gorgeous.

First Stop: Lake Chelan

This route begins on the eastern slope of the Cascades in Lake Chelan, a busy destination all summer long. Hitting it before Memorial Day weekend is a good choice to avoid crowds.

Our favorite place to camp is not in the city of Chelan; instead, stay at Lake Chelan State Park on the south shore about 10 miles from town, where you might be able to grab one of 17 full hookups. Plan on at least two days to explore the lake and the area.

Among the options: Golfing, wine tasting, boating and sight-seeing on the Lady of the Lake excursion charter, which travels up the length of the 50-mile lake.

Second stop: Winthrop/Mazama

It’s only about 70 miles up U.S. HIghway 97 and State Route 153 to the gateway city of North Cascades Highway -- Winthrop, Wash. The funky Old West-themed tourist center offers an endless assortment of outdoor activities -- and howdy pardner! -- you’ll find watering holes and feeding troughs aplenty. Or, head down the road to the Mazama Store, which rightly boasts that it carries a little bit of everything.

We have two favorite places to camp in this area. Pearrygin Lake State Park just two miles north of Winthrop is pretty, and offers 50 full hook-ups. Also on our list is Klipchuck Campground near Mazama, a no-frills U.S. Forest Service facility located along rolling and tumbling Early Winters creek. If you want to stay in the mountains, it’s hard to beat Klipchuck, which offers excellent hiking opportunities nearby.

Third Stop: North Cascades National Park

From the Winthrop area, get ready for a real treat. State Route 20 travels over Washington state’s most beautiful mountain pass, taking you about 70 miles into the heart of North Cascades National Park.

There’s a lot to do along the way. For a great early season hike (expect some snow), check out the 3.8-mile roundtrip to Cutthroat Lake. Another excellent stop is at the Washington Pass visitor center at 5,476 feet, where you’ll find incredible views of the Early Winters Spires towering nearby.

Many other trailheads are located along State Route 20 as you travel westward. Or you may choose to simply sightsee, taking in the majestic peaks of the North Cascades.

For camping, we recommend two of the national park facilities: Colonial Creek Campground, on Diablo Lake, and Newhalem Creek Campground, with easy access to beautiful hiking trails along the upper Skagit River. Both are nice front-country national park campgrounds; no hookups, however.

Return trip

You can turn this into a loop by returning to the Inland Northwest via U.S. Highway 2 (Stevens Pass) or Interstate 90 (Snoqualmie Pass). Another option would be to base camp on the east side near Winthrop and day-trip into North Cascades National Park, returning to the Inland Northwest without going to the West Side of the state.

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