Washington's Most Scenic and Roads and Byways

Chinook Scenic Byway

The 85-mile byway encompasses the unique beauty of both Mount Rainier National Park and the Mather Parkway. Working its way through scenic Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, it is the most accessible road for viewing 14,410-foot Mount Rainier. Areas of interest include Boulder Cave, Norse Peak Wilderness Area, Edgar Rock Historic CCC Camp, Chinook Pass Overlook, Boulder Cave Recreation Trail, Skookum Flats (one of the best bicycle trails in the country) and Federation Forest State Park. Byway was designated an "All-American" Road in 1998.

Start and Endpoint: Starting from Enumclaw, byway follows WA 410 through Greenwater and Cliffdell to Naches.

For further information, contact: Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest

Coulee Corridor Scenic Byway

The entire corridor consists of a series of coulees, or dry canyons, which were shaped by the rushing torrents released when a 2000-foot natural ice dam melted in Montana. This Ice Age flood also left behind boulders, gravel bars and sand dunes, and carved out 900-foot basalt cliffs. Areas of interest include: Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, the Grand Coulee Dam, the Colville Tribal Museum, Dry Falls (the remains of a waterfall once ten times the size of Niagara Falls), Soap Lake, Moses Lake Museum & Art Center, and Columbia National Wildlife Refuge.

Start and Endpoint: Located in north-central Washington, the 150-mile byway runs north/south from Omak along parts of three highway routes (SR 155, US 2 and SR 17) to Othello.

For further information, contact: Ephrata Chamber of Commerce

International Selkirk Loop (Washington)

Following rivers and lakeshores most of the way, the byway encircles the Selkirk Mountains in northeast Washington, north Idaho, and southeast British Columbia. Historically, the waterways were used for transportation, but today they are a source of year-round recreation that includes boating, water skiing, windsurfing, swimming, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and rafting. The Washington section of the route runs through river valleys along in the edge of Colville National Forest and enters the "Forgotten Corner" of Washington.

Start and Endpoint: This loop route includes 77 miles in northeastern Washington, 89 miles in northern Idaho, and 114 miles in southeastern British Columbia. The Washington section of the byway runs from the Idaho state border near Newport, north on SR 20 and SR 31 to the US-Canadian border near Metaline.

For further information, contact: International Selkirk Loop

Mountains to Sound Greenway

The 100-mile greenway features dramatically different landscapes, including the dry plateaus of eastern Washington, the rugged Cascade mountains, forestlands and rural farms, and the city of Seattle on Puget Sound. Along the way, travellers can visit historic logging and mining towns and enjoy numerous scenic spots for outdoor recreation. The I-90 right-of-way can be traveled by bicycle for the entire length of the greenway, including separated and landscaped trails along urban portions of the highway. Many recreational trails exist along the corridor in lands managed by the US Forest Service, the State Department of Natural Resources, State Parks, and private lands.

Start and Endpoint: Byway runs along I-90 from Thorp west to Seattle, passing through the towns of Easton, North Bend, and Issaquah.

For further information, contact: Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust

Stevens Pass Greenway

This picturesque drive through a high mountain pass runs from a saltwater port to the rugged Cascades and through a historic railroad district. Byway is one of Washington's two year-round accessible mountain passes. It follows the wild and scenic Skykomish and Wenatchee rivers along most of its length. Originally developed for the Old Great Northern Railway, the route is rich in rail history and is now considered a major corridor for rail freight mobility. Year-round recreational opportunites along the corridor include whitewater rafting, skiing, hiking, fishing, camping, and auto touring.

Start and Endpoint: The 89-mile byway runs from Everett east along US 2 to Leavenworth, then southeast on US 2/97 to the town of Wenatchee.

For further information, contact: Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Office

Straight of Juan de Fuca Highway

The 61-mile byway follows the shoreline of a glacial fjord that connects Puget Sound to the Pacific Ocean. It skirts Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest, a unique area that includes temperate rain forest, mountain terrain, and saltwater beaches. Other areas of interest along the byway include: the Salt Creek Recreation Area, featuring the remnants of Fort Hayden; Sail and Seal Rocks, an offshore feeding area for gray whales; and the Makah Indian Reservation, which includes the Makah Cultural Museum and a hiking trail leading to the coast and to Cape Flattery, the most northwestern point of the contiguous United States.

Start and Endpoint: Byway begins just west of Port Angeles at the Elwha River Overlook and follows SR 112 west to the Makah Indian Reservation.

For further information, contact: North Olympic Peninsula Visitor and Convention Bureau

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