Posted in Washington
June 27, 2017
The 8 Best Backroads In Washington For A Long Scenic Drive
There’s something about summertime that leaves us longing for a long, peaceful drive down a quiet road. That’s not always easy to come by in Washington, but there are still some backroads where you can cruise comfortably without being surrounded by tons of other cars.
Put on your favorite playlist, find a quiet route, and hit the road.
Nothing beats a summer drive out in the country, especially at sunset. The Palouse Scenic Byway is a 208-mile network between 7 local highways. Cruise through beautiful Eastern Washington until you reach the state line.
This 21-mile winding road takes you down Highway 11 past several beautiful farming towns, starting just north of Burlington.
This secluded highway is located in Kittitas County, traveling southeast along the Yakima River from SR 970 in Teanaway to US 97 northwest of Ellensburg. SR 10 follows the route of the Roslyn branch of the Northern Pacific Railway, built in the Yakima River valley by the late 1890s.
US-2 begins in Everett at an intersection with State Route 529. Once you reach the Sultan area, you'll see roadside attractions like the world's tiniest chapel. Eventually, you'll come to the beautiful Wallace Falls State Park outside of Gold Bar. Just turn onto 1st Street in Gold Bar to reach the park.
State Route 821, also known as the Canyon Road, runs from a junction with I-82 south of Ellensburg to another junction north of Selah. The route follows the Yakima River through a deep canyon surrounded by sagebrush hills.
Often called the Mount Spokane Park Drive, State Route 206 takes you through Mead to the entrance to Mount Spokane State Park.
Located on the northern shore of the Olympic Peninsula, this byway begins near Port Angeles and takes you past cliffs and old growth forest to the Makah Indian Reservation by Neah Bay.
Take State Route 155 from Coulee City to the Grand Coulee Dam and you'll get a glimpse into one of the most fascinating events in our geologic history. When floodwaters poured through our region at the end of the last ice age, they caused permanent changes to our landscape.
These are just a few of the “roads less traveled by” in Washington State. Here’s a list of some of our most scenic byways.
