Cascade Loop | Scenic Highway Loop in Washington State

Videos

See the Cascade Loop Live...view this on-road video for a preview of the spectacular scenery you'll experience right from your car along our Scenic Highway. For similar videos of other motorcycle friendly routes visit www.road-quest.com

One of the last remaining US Forest Service Lookout Towers in the country is in the Methow Valley at Goat Peak. You can climb up there and meet Lightening Bill, and his dog Turk, while taking in the spectacular scenery. Northwest Backroads (King 5 TV) captures it here:

Jetty Island, just off the city of Everett's shoreline is a free boat ride away where sandy beaches, bird watching and marsh boardwalks await. See it here on Northwest Backroads (King 5 TV):

The North Cascades are often called "The American Alps" because of their rugged, stunning beauty. See it here on Northwest Backroads (King 5 TV):

Ohme Gardens is an alpine oasis in the semi-arid Columbia River Valley. Evening Magazine (King 5 TV) shows us the beauty:

Coupeville, one Whidbey Island, is the Western most portion of the Cascade Loop. It is one of the oldest towns in Washington State. Take a 20 minute ferry ride from Everett for an island experience. Northwest Backroads (King 5 TV) shows you around this historic island town:

This is one individual's exploration of the North Cascades National Park
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Points of Interest in the North Cascades National Park.

Anacortes is a historical fishing village with an artistic eye. King 5's Evening Magazine shows us the "art" of Anacortes.

Recreation in the Cascade Loop Regions 3 & 4 (Leavenworth, Cashmere, Wenatchee, Columbia River Valley, Stevens Pass)
The Cascade Foothills (Region 3) plus the Columbia River Valley (Region 4) are surrounded by a cornucopia of outdoor recreation opportunities. The video below shows you some of the scenery and activities you can experience in these two areas. If you're interested in paragliding and training check out this video. For regular updates on recreation in this area visit www.WenatcheeOutdoors.org.

Just before the North Cascades Hwy 20 was opened for the season in the spring of 2007, this bicycling club took to the cleared highway (still closed to cars) and enjoyed a brisk ride through the pass.

View a typcial spring clearing of the snow from the North Cascades Hwy 20. This 34 mile portion of the Hwy is normally closed in winter between mid-November and mid-April due to excessive snow. Each spring the Washington State Dept. of Transportation brings a special crew up on the pass to clear the Hwy. It usually takes about six weeks to prepare the highway for its annual spring opening (mid-April to 1st of May is normal opening time).

A local resident, Ms. Tootsie Clark from Rockport's Clark's Resort & Eatery, always gets up early on opening day of the North Cascades Hwy 20. She bakes dozens of cinnamon rolls and brews coffee to bring to all the folks who line up with their cars at the opening gate. These people want to be the first folks to cross over the North Cascades Hwy 20 each spring. Tootsie has been doing this for at least a couple of decades and nobody wants to miss out on the homemade rolls. You can taste them for yourself at The Eatery in Rockport, along with other homemade, just plain good food! Thanks Northwest Backroads (King 5 TV) for capturing our local legend!