Road	Length	High point
Cayuse Pass (WA-123) WA-123 is a 20-mile two-lane road running north through the east side of Mount Rainier National Park from its junction with US-12 near Packwood to Cayuse Pass (4,675 ft) where it meets WA-410. The road follows the Ohanapecosh River corridor through old-growth forest before ascending to the Cascade crest alongside Stevens Canyon Road's dramatic switchbacks. Combined with WA-410, it forms the classic Rainier loop — riders can string Chinook Pass (WA-410) and White Pass (US-12) into a single circuit. Seasonal closure (November through late May) matches WA-410.	8 mi	—
Chinook Pass (WA-410) WA-410 climbs from the Naches River valley west through the Cascades to Chinook Pass at 5,430 feet on the eastern boundary of Mount Rainier National Park, then descends into Enumclaw. The 95-mile run offers consistent two-lane curves through old-growth forest, subalpine meadows, and river canyon — peaking at Tipsoo Lake with a direct view of Mount Rainier across the water. The road is designated an All-American Road as part of the Chinook Pass Scenic Byway. Seasonal closure applies: the summit section is typically closed November through late May due to snow.	91 mi	—
Diablo Lake OverlookStop Diablo Lake Overlook is located at milepost 131.7 on SR-20 in North Cascades National Park. A large paved parking area with accessible vault toilets and picnic tables perches directly above the reservoir, whose water turns an otherworldly turquoise in summer due to suspended glacial flour. Below the overlook the historic Diablo Dam is visible in the distance, framed by the massive ridgelines of the North Cascades. The turquoise color is most vivid on sunny days in July, August, and September when seasonal glacial melt peaks. Riders on SR-20 pass this spot without even having to detour — the pullout is right on the highway.	—	—
Methow Valley Highway (WA-153) WA-153 (Methow Valley Highway) runs 31 miles northwest from Pateros — at the confluence of the Methow and Columbia rivers — to Twisp, paralleling the Methow River through a transition from high-desert shrub-steppe into ponderosa pine and Douglas fir. Part of the 440-mile Cascade Loop, it connects US-97 south to WA-20 north through one of eastern Washington's most scenic river valleys. The road is two-lane, unsignalized, and carries light traffic; the Methow River is visible for much of the route. Best combined with WA-20 westbound for a full Cascades circuit.	31 mi	—
Mount Baker Highway (WA-542) WA-542 runs 57 miles east from Bellingham along the North Fork Nooksack River to Artist Point at 5,140 feet, with Baker and Mt. Shuksan both visible from the terminus parking area. The lower two-thirds delivers sweeping river-canyon curves through the Nooksack valley; the upper section climbs steeply with challenging hairpins before the pavement ends at Austin Pass/Artist Point. Designated the Mount Baker Scenic Byway, it is open seasonally — Artist Point typically opens in late July when the snow clears, and closes by October.	34 mi	—
North Cascades Highway (WA-20) Washington's WA-20 over the North Cascades — Diablo Lake's turquoise water, Washington Pass at 5,477 ft, and the wildest pass crossing in the Lower 48. The North Cascades stretch is mile 44-130 of the larger WA-20 chain imported here.	375 mi	—
Olympic Peninsula Loop (US-101) US-101 circles the Olympic Peninsula for roughly 330 miles, passing through temperate rainforest, ocean beach, and the glacier-studded Olympics interior. The route skirts three sides of Olympic National Park — the Hoh Rain Forest corridor on the west, the Strait of Juan de Fuca on the north, and Hood Canal on the east. Rider Magazine and American Sport Touring both rate the loop as one of the top multi-day Pacific Northwest rides. Road surface is well-maintained two-lane with long sweepers and occasional sharp curves on the western and northern segments; amenities are widely spaced, especially on the remote southwestern stretch between Forks and Lake Quinault.	253 mi	—
Rattlesnake Grade (WA-129) WA-129 runs 43 miles south from Clarkston through the Snake River canyon and up Rattlesnake Grade — nine switchbacks climbing 840 feet in under 4 miles from the canyon floor to the Asotin County plateau — before continuing to the Oregon state line at Anatone where it becomes OR-3. The American Motorcyclist Association has named this corridor one of the top 15 motorcycle rides in America. The route delivers canyon walls, wheat-field ridges, and the Joseph Canyon Overlook with views into the historic Nez Perce winter homelands. Very low traffic throughout.	41 mi	—
Samish Overlook (Oyster Dome Trailhead)Stop The Samish Overlook parking area on Blanchard Hill Road in the Blanchard State Forest serves as the primary trailhead for the Oyster Dome summit trail on Chuckanut Mountain. At 1,252 feet elevation the parking area itself offers views across the Skagit Valley, and the 3-mile round trip to Oyster Dome opens a 360-degree panorama taking in Samish Bay, the San Juan Islands, and Mount Baker on clear days. Washington DNR manages the site and asks riders to use this lot rather than the informal Chuckanut Drive roadside pullout. Hang gliders and paragliders launch from the adjacent launch ramp, adding a visual bonus on breezy afternoons.	—	—
Sherman Pass Scenic Byway (WA-20 East) The eastern segment of WA-20 runs 88 miles from Republic east over Sherman Pass (5,575 ft) — Washington's highest year-round maintained highway — through the Colville National Forest to Kettle Falls on the Columbia. This stretch is fully distinct from the North Cascades Highway (WA-20 west); the two segments do not directly connect. Designated the Sherman Pass Scenic Byway, the road features steep but paved grades, minimal traffic, and dense Colville National Forest scenery. An interpretive site at the summit provides wildfire history context for the 1988 White Mountain Fire that shaped the surrounding forest.	292 mi	—
Spirit Lake Highway (WA-504) WA-504 runs 52 miles from I-5 at Castle Rock east along the North Fork Toutle River to the Johnston Ridge Observatory at the edge of Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument — the only scenic byway in the US that enters a volcanic blast zone. Wide sweepers and bridges over canyon crossings characterize the road; the upper miles transition into the grey-ash landscape left by the 1980 eruption. The Johnston Ridge Observatory (visitor center, crater overlook) is the terminus. Note: a 2024 landslide damaged the upper stretch near the observatory; WSDOT expects full restoration by fall 2026 — check current conditions before riding.	43 mi	—
Stevens Pass (US-2) US-2 runs 82 miles from Monroe east over Stevens Pass (4,061 ft) to Leavenworth, threading the Skykomish River valley through dense cedar and fir forest on the wet side before breaking into open ponderosa-pine terrain on the dry eastern slope. The pass section carries a designated Stevens Pass Greenway National Scenic Byway status and is a key link in the 440-mile Cascade Loop. Mid-speed sweepers dominate, with notable hairpins at the summit. Traffic can be heavy on Seattle-area weekends; best ridden midweek.	119 mi	—
Tipsoo LakeStop Tipsoo Lake sits at Chinook Pass on the eastern border of Mount Rainier National Park along SR-410, at roughly 5,000 feet elevation. A subalpine lake set in a glacier-carved basin surrounded by wildflower meadows, it is routinely cited as one of the most photographed landscapes in North America. Mount Rainier fills the western skyline across the water. Parking, picnic tables, benches, and vault toilets are available on site. The Naches Peak Loop Trail and Pacific Crest Trail both start here. SR-410 is typically open from June through October — the same window when wildflowers are at their peak from mid to late July.	—	—
Verlot Public Service CenterStop The Verlot Public Service Center sits at 33515 Mountain Loop Highway, eleven miles east of Granite Falls, at 971 feet elevation in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The Civilian Conservation Corps built the handsome log-and-stone complex between 1933 and 1942; the buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Staff here dispense Northwest Forest Passes, recreation maps, weather conditions, hiking information, and trail-closure updates for the Mountain Loop Highway corridor. Restrooms are on site. For riders approaching from the west, it is the last reliable information stop before the pavement turns to gravel on the upper Mountain Loop.	—	—
Washington Pass OverlookStop A free, paved 0.2-mile accessible path to a panorama of Liberty Bell Mountain and the Early Winters Spires, off the north side of WA-20. Seasonal — the highway closes for snow from late fall to late spring.	—	—
Whistlin' Jack's LodgeStop Whistlin' Jack's Outpost and Lodge has operated on SR-410 beside the Naches River since the early 1900s. The current property at 20800 WA-410 in Naches includes a 96-seat Riverside Restaurant, a 70-seat Fireside Lounge with 10 beers on tap and a full bar, an outdoor dining patio, a gift shop, and eight lodge rooms plus six river cabins. The kitchen runs American comfort food and mountain staples. It occupies a narrow riverside clearing midway up the Chinook Pass approach — the only full-service food and lodging stop for miles in either direction on SR-410, making it the natural midday break for riders heading to or from the pass.	—	—
White Pass (US-12) US-12 crosses the Cascades at White Pass (4,500 ft) and runs 124 miles between I-5 near Castle Rock and Naches, passing through the shadow of Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Adams. Designated a National Scenic Byway, the highway is the only year-round Cascades crossing between Snoqualmie Pass (I-90) and the Columbia River Gorge (WA-14). Two-lane mountain curves thread through the Gifford Pinchot National Forest with minimal traffic compared to the northern passes.	350 mi	—

//Rallies & events

Rally

Rally · September

Anacortes Oyster Run

Washington

The Anacortes Oyster Run is the largest motorcycle run in the Pacific Northwest, held annually on the fourth Sunday in September in downtown Anacortes. The 43rd annual event is scheduled for September 27, 2026. The event is free, unstructured — no start point, no required route, no registration — and draws riders from across the region to fill Anacortes's waterfront downtown with bikes, vendors, and live music. The Seattle Cossacks Motorcycle Drill Team performs at 11am and 1pm, and street vendors operate from 9am to 5pm. The event has run continuously since the early 1980s.

NextSep 27–27, 2026

Official site ↗

Rally

Rally · June

Touratech Rally West

Washington

The Touratech Rally West is billed as the largest adventure motorcycle rally in North America, held annually in the tiny Cascade foothills town of Plain, WA (near Leavenworth). The 2026 event runs June 25-28. Attendees camp in a large field in Plain and spend four days on guided and self-guided ADV rides into the surrounding Cascade Mountains, plus manufacturer demo rides, vendor exhibits, skills clinics, live music, and evening events. The rally has been running for over 16 years and regularly sells out before the event.

NextNext edition TBA

Official site ↗

By Switchback · Updated 2026-06-05

Best season

Late May–September

Helmet law

Required, all riders (DOT)

Lane splitting

Illegal

Signature terrain

Alpine passes, rainforest coast, ADV backcountry

Washington puts more terrain variety within a single tank than almost any other state. The west side delivers sea-level rainforest, rocky Pacific shoreline, and glacier-fed lakes. Cross the Cascades and the air dries out, the trees thin, and the roads open into high-desert ranch country. Between those two worlds sit some of the highest paved passes in the lower 48, a 330-mile peninsula loop, a gravel-friendly backcountry route that stretches to the Canadian border, and a Mt. Rainier circuit that keeps you in the shadow of a volcano for most of the ride. The tradeoff is honest: pass roads close in winter, the west side stays damp well into spring, and wildfire smoke can shut down visibility east of the Cascades in late summer. Plan around those realities and Washington rewards almost any riding style.

Why Washington Rewards Planning

Washington's riding diversity is real, but so is its complexity. The state splits cleanly along the Cascade spine: west of the mountains you get maritime weather, old-growth forest, and the Olympic Peninsula's 330-mile coastal loop on Highway 101; east of the crest the climate turns drier, the scenery opens up, and passes like Washington Pass on SR-20 and Chinook Pass on SR-410 put you at altitude with long sight lines. Choosing where to ride first depends on your bike, your timing, and how much pavement you need under you.

Seasonal Timing Matters Here More Than Most States

The high passes don't open until snowpack clears — often late May, sometimes later. SR-20 through the North Cascades closes each winter and has historically reopened in late April or May; in 2026, storm washouts and a rockslide kept the central section closed significantly longer than usual, with WSDOT targeting a full reopening by late June. Chinook Pass and Cayuse Pass on SR-410/SR-123 follow a similar pattern, typically closed from late fall through late spring. Check WSDOT's pass conditions page before any trip that crosses the Cascades — the calendar dates shift every year.

For the Olympic Peninsula loop, the road stays open year-round, but the west side's damp climate means slick pavement and moss-covered edges are a real factor in spring. The Washington Backcountry Discovery Route's gravel sections are best ridden July through September when the forest roads are dry and stable.

Matching Route to Bike

Not every road here works for every machine. The Mountain Loop Highway's central section is unpaved forest road — fine for dual-sport and ADV bikes, but genuinely rough for a loaded touring bike. The WABDR is an adventure route by design and shouldn't be attempted on street rubber. Highway 101 around the Olympic Peninsula and SR-20's paved stretches suit anything from a sport bike to a full dresser, though tight curves near the passes call for attentiveness, not momentum.

Hazards Worth Knowing

Rockfall and washout debris on SR-20 and other canyon-wall roads, especially after wet winters
Sand swept across pavement on mountain road corners after rain — common in early season
Wildlife crossings — deer and elk move at dawn and dusk across most rural routes
Wildfire smoke east of the Cascades in July–August can drop visibility quickly
Gravel road surface changes on the Mountain Loop's FR-20 section — unexpected for riders not expecting it

Always run a current WSDOT alert check the day before riding any pass route. Conditions change fast in this state, and that's not a figure of speech.

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// Frequently asked

SR-20 through the North Cascades is a seasonal road that typically closes in late November or December and reopens in late April or May, depending on snowpack and conditions. In 2026, major winter washout and rockslide damage kept the central section closed well into the season; WSDOT targeted a full reopening by June 25, 2026. Always check WSDOT's travel alerts and the SR-20 project page before planning a trip — the opening date shifts year to year.

No. Lane splitting — riding between lanes of traffic — is prohibited in Washington under RCW 46.61.608. Motorcycles are entitled to full use of a lane, but passing between stopped or moving vehicles is illegal and carries a minimum fine.

Yes. Washington has a universal helmet law: all riders and passengers must wear a DOT-approved helmet at all times, regardless of age or experience. The helmet must meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 218 and be fastened securely while the motorcycle is in motion.

Chinook Pass typically closes in late October or November and reopens in late May, depending on snowpack at its 5,430-foot summit. Check WSDOT's mountain pass conditions before heading out, as the exact dates vary each year.

Not as a whole. The WABDR (updated to approximately 688 miles in November 2025) includes unpaved gravel and dirt sections designed for dual-sport or adventure bikes. A street-focused bike can handle some segments, but the full route is best suited to ADV-style motorcycles with off-road capability. The recommended riding window is July through September.

Common real-world hazards include sand and gravel washed across the pavement after rain events, rockfall on canyon-wall sections, deer and elk crossing at dawn and dusk, and wildfire smoke reducing visibility on eastern Washington roads in late summer. On the Olympic Peninsula's Highway 101, wet pavement and moss-covered road edges can reduce grip even in summer. The Mountain Loop Highway's central gravel section can be unexpectedly rough for non-ADV bikes.

//Sources & references

SR 20/North Cascades Highway Emergency Repairs — WSDOT ↗North Cascades Highway 2026 Opening — WSDOT Blog ↗RCW 46.37.530 — Washington State Motorcycle Helmet Law ↗Washington State Motorcycle Laws — Russell & Hill ↗Washington State Motorcycle Laws — Law Tigers ↗Is Washington State a Good Place to Ride a Motorcycle? — Riders Share ↗Cascade Loop Travel Alerts ↗