Northwest Scenic Byways
Washington – The sequel
Photo - A look across the Lyons
Ferry Bridge into the Palouse region
Ahhh… Here we are. It’s been a harsh
winter and we’ve all been planning out our rides for the spring and
summer. You’ve had a crack at reading about Idaho’s and Oregon’s
scenic byways here in Sound RIDER! so here’s the final act –
Washington.
As was the case in the previous two
articles I will only provide you information on several of my
favorite romps, then at the end I’ll give you a website link for
more details.
As is the case with both Idaho and Oregon,
Washington boasts it’s own bounty of scenic byways. Two are ranked
as All American and four are ranked National Scenic Byways (NSB).
Beyond that there are many more. Here’ a few of my favorites:
SR 112 - The Strait of Juan de Fuca
Highway
Rated
as a NSB this stretch of road runs from Port Angeles west toward the
Makah Indian Reservation. It’s twisty to be sure and will challenge
your cornering skills with every turn. It’s one of those roads you
just gotta do out and back in the same day to get the full effect.
Along the route you’ll travel through a deeply wooded forest and
have glimpses of the coast throughout.
Riding along SR 112
SR 261 – The Starbuck Highway
The serpentine allure of this highway
calls me out to it at least every other year. Located on the west
end of the Palouse
Region it runs from Dayton to Washtucna and is
simply a roller coaster of pleasure. Again – one direction is not
enough. Allow yourself enough time to ride out and back on it. A
little history here is that the erector set of a bridge, known as
the Lyons Ferry Bridge (see photo at top of this article) which now
provides passage across the Snake River on this ride - it used to be
located in Vantage and allowed motorists passage over the Columbia
River before the advent of I-90.
Adventure travel along SR 261
The Vantage Highway (Old SR 10)
Looking for an alternative to the boredom
of I-90 between Vantage and Ellensburg? Take a squirrely jaunt
across this bit of history through the hills just north of the
interstate. Traffic is nil here and deposits you into the old town
area of Ellensburg which makes a nice meal break
This
is how you cross the Cascades with nominal elevation gain. Head east
on SR 14 from Washougal and follow the Columbia River all the way
out to the Maryhill area. It’s an amusement park of geology, history
and art. Consider stops at the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center in
Stevenson and at the Maryhill Museum which boasts world class art in
the middle of essentially nowhere. Head a few miles east from there
past the junction of US 97 and experience a life size replica of the
fabled Stonehenge. Not to mention what an awesome road SR
14 is all along the way!