Washington State Scenic Drives & Byways
This is where you can find some of the our favorite Washington Scenic Drives and read our take on where to go and when to stop. While this site is here to highlight from our prospective the various scenic drives in Washington State; you will remain in the drivers seat as to your destinations, times and to what you see and do during your Washington State vacations.
For purposes of this site; we are assuming that your starting point is on the western side of the Cascades and will be writing the content of this site with this assumption at hand. If you're starting point differs, just adjust the times and distances accordingly to your preferred starting point. That being said, here are our favorite drives and a little about why we rank each as Washington State Scenic Drives.
Blewett Pass: Located between highway 2 on the northern
side and interstate 90 on the southern, Blewett Pass climbs to an elevation
of 4102 feet through a mountainous yet well maintained stretch of Highway
97.
Canyon Road: State Route 821 follows along the Yakama
River between Ellensburg and Yakama. Although just a short drive in itself,
this is a great addition to driving the Naches Highway back to the western
side of the mountains.
The
North Cascades Highway - Highway 20: Cascade Loop Scenic
Drive Spanning the distance between Anacortes Washington and over one
of Washington's most scenic mountain passes. As a bonus, highway 20
takes you through the towns of Winthrop & Twisp where you intersect
with highway 153.
Chuckanut
Drive Scenic Drive: A short drive north of Seattle on Interstate
5 brings you to Chuckanut Junction. Exiting to the west on State Route
11 leads you to the scenic Chuckanut Drive that follows the coastline
into Bellingham.
Lewis and Clark Highway; Columbia River Gorge Scenic Drive: Great
for the long weekend, the Columbia River Scenic Drive begins as you exit
I-5 in Vancouver Washington headed east on State Route 14. The drive follows
along the massive Columbia River and past some of the marvels of mans accomplishments,
the Hydroelectric dams on the Columbia River that power our homes and offices.
The eastern side is also Washington's Wine Country and this alone is reason
enough to visit for a few extra days.
Mt
Rainier National Park: One of the most photographed
locations in Washington State. Mt Rainier National Park lies south of Seattle
and is accessed by heading South on Interstate 5 to State Route 512 (exit
127). East on State Route 512 to State Route 7. South on State Route 7
to State Route 706 in Elbe. East on State Route 706 through Ashford to
the Nisqually Entrance. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Olympic Peninsula Scenic Drive: Take a drive on the scenic
coastal highway 101 and you will enjoy not just the magnificent beaches,
friendly small towns and peaceful attitudes of the area, but you will also
find yourself amidst the tall evergreens of the Olympic Rain Forest.
Pend
Oreille River: This scenic drive includes Washington State Route
31, Tiger to BC Border and State Route 20 Newport to Tiger. There are several
lakes along this drive with campgrounds and boat launches for access to
the great fishing and boating found on the Pend Oreille River. Outdoor
enthusiasts visit the area year round to enjoy the boating, camping, hunting
and fishing, while others come to experience the abundant wildlife, and
enjoy the serenity of the region.
Snoqualmie Pass: Spanning the distance out of Seattle
to Snoqualmie Pass Ski Area and on over to the towns of Rosylin and Ellensburg,
Snoqualmie Pass makes for a Scenic Washington Drive that is good for a
weekend outing.
Stevens Pass: Stevens Pass between Everett and Leavenworth
differs greatly from Snoqualmie Pass in many ways. This two lane paved
highway is more of a leisure drive with many places one can stop to explore.
Whidbey Island Scenic Loop: Another of those great day
trips out of Seattle, Whidbey Island is accessed by the ferry from Mukilteo
and traverses the length of the Island before exiting across the famous
Deception Pass Bridge.
Washington Scenic Drives; from the Olympic Peninsula to the Idaho border, Columbia River to our northern border with Canada, there are plenty of opportunities for scenic drives in the State of Washington.