< PreviousSnohomish • Centennial Trail. A 30-mile paved walking, jogging, biking, and horseback riding trail built on the old Burlington- Northern railroad line. •Delightful variety of boutique shops, unique retailers, antique dealers, fabulous restaurants, and craft beverage establishments. •Historic District boasts century-old buildings, including the Blackman Museum, Waltz Building (which houses the Snohomish Historical Society), a walking history tour and the (haunted?) Oxford Saloon. Monroe •Historic Downtown. Venture off US 2 and explore Historic Main Street. Grab a beer at a local brewery and shop for unique, locally made treasures. •Evergreen State Fairgrounds and Evergreen Speedway featuring NASCAR and specialty events. •Lake Tye is a 1.63-mile loop trail with swim area and street-style skateboard park. Kayakers and paddleboarders are welcome on this 42-acre lake. •Lewis Street Boat Launch and Al Borlin Park. Recreate along the river! Several access points to enjoy kayaking, rafting, and fishing. Insider Scoop If you are traveling when folks are getting off work or on weekends, and you find yourself in a rush hour pickle by Monroe, take a quick detour downtown where you have your pick of restaurants nearby. Grab a bite to eat and when you’re finished, traffic will likely have cleared! Arlington •Part of the Mountain Loop Scenic Byway, enjoy a stroll along beautiful streets and visit quaint shops, antique stores, tasty diners and gourmet restaurants. (See side trip on page 13) •Enjoy over 30 pieces of public art on the Centennial Trail, rest at the downtown central park, and enjoy live music on summer Saturday evenings. Snohomish Farmers Market, Pete Freund11 Attractions & Activities Historic Downtown Snohomish Association. Listed on both the State and National Registries of Historic Places. Known as the “Antique Capital of the Northwest.” Bustling shopping treasure trove with hundreds of antique dealers and boutique shops all within a six-block area. The historic district is also surrounded by stately Victorian and Craftsman-style homes built around the turn of the 20th century. Imagine Children’s Museum, Everett. Hands-on adventure including art, history and science that children love. Closed Mondays. 1502 Wall Street. (425) 258-1006, imaginecm.org Japanese Gulch, Mukilteo and Everett> 144-acre urban forest with miles of trails for biking, hiking, dog walking, and trail running. Home to pileated woodpeckers, great blue herons, and black-tailed deer. Jetty Island, Everett. Small island with nesting birds, wide sandy beaches and warm shallow water. A quick 10-minute ferry ride (seasonal), foot traffic only. (425) 257-8304, visiteverett.com/jetty Lowell Riverfront Trail, Everett. 1¾-mile, multi-use trail features a 10-foot- wide paved path with views of Mount Baker, Mount Rainier and the Cascade Mountains. Numerous wildlife habitats. 1400 Lowell River Rd, Mukilteo Light Station, Mukilteo. Grounds are accessible year-round to visitors. The lighthouse, exhibits, and gift shop are open weekends and holidays, 12pm-5pm, April through September. The 14-acre Lighthouse Park offers access to the beach with picnic areas, boat launch, and playground. 609 Front Street12 Campgrounds Evergreen State Fairgrounds. Monroe. April-Oct. (except during fair) Big rigs, 30 amp, dump. No campfires. (360) 805-6727 Whitehorse Regional Park, Darrington. Big rigs, 50/30 amp, horse corrals, dump. No showers. Open March 1-October 31. (425) 388-6600 Lodging Silver Cloud Hotel - Mukilteo Waterfront 718 Front Street, (425) 423-8600 silvercloud.com/mukilteo Snohomish Inn, Snohomish. 323 2nd St., (800) 548-9993 (360) 568-2208, snohomishinn.com Thornton A. Sullivan Park, Everett. Disc golf, table tennis in the sand, trails and waterfront access for fishing, swimming and playing on the beach (no lifeguard). Picnic shelter and restrooms. Open 6am to dusk. 11405 West Silver Lake Rd. Whitehorse Trail, Arlington to Darrington.Intersects the Centennial Trail and spans 27 unpaved miles along an old railroad bed. The route winds through a series of farm, forest and river environments, and contains several fishing access points and river crossings. Wiggly Field Dog Park, Monroe. 2½ acre off-leash park, with agility equipment, and a dog drinking fountain. 413 Sky River Pkwy Willis Tucker Dog Park, Snohomish 3 fenced off-leash areas and a 1¼ acre forest area for off-leash hiking. 6705 Puget Park Dr. Winter Dog Park, Monroe. Indoor dog park at the Evergreen Fairgrounds in Arena #606. November through February. Parking off Cascade View Drive. Fishing dock at Mukilteo's waterfront, Pete FreundSide Trip: Mountain Loop Scenic Byway The Mountain Loop Scenic Byway is a 52-mile state designated byway that leads motorists, bicyclists, campers, and hikers through the Stillaguamish and Sauk River Valleys and deep into the North Cascades. Along the route, you’ll see remnants of the area's logging history plus visit fire lookouts and ghost towns. Visitor Info City of Snohomish experiencesnohomish.com Discover Mukilteo discovermukilteo.org Historic Downtown Snohomish Snohomish. (360) 499-3830 historicdowntownsnohomish.org Monroe Visitor Information and Welcome Center Monroe (ads pg 11 and this page). 125 South Lewis St. (360) 794-5488, choosemonroe.com Paine Field Airport, Everett. (425) 622-9040, flypainefield.com Seattle NorthCountry, Find trip inspiration and resources for activities in Snohomish County. seattlenorthcountry.com Stilly Valley Visitor Center, Arlington. 114 North Olympic Ave. (360) 403-3421 meetmeinarlington.com Visit Everett, Everett (ad p. 9). (425) 257-7110, visiteverett.com Whitehorse Trail, Pete Freund Learn more about all our great Side Trips at cascadeloop.com/side-tripsRailroad Museum and Miniature Train in Skykomish Made possible in part with assistance from Snohomish County Tourism Hotel-Motel Tax Fund15 Pass through lush farmland as you follow the Skykomish River along SR 2 toward the jagged peaks of the Cascade Mountain Range. The Stevens Pass Greenway, a National Scenic Byway in its own right, serves up wild, inspirational views and prodigious hikes. Ascend 4,061' Stevens Pass where the views are mind-blowing year-round! The ski and snowboard resort operates during winter months and in the summer it transforms into a mountain bike park and scenic chairlift ride. Be prepared to encounter snow in the winter! Check conditions at wsdot.com/traffic/passes Sultan • Osprey Park. Walking trails to the river, and playground fun • Dogs On First. Off-leash dog park. First Street by Osprey Park • Sky Valley Information Center(ad p. 17). Get the inside scoop on the Loop and local must-visit locations! Pick up your Discover Pass, Northwest Forest Pass, and fishing and hunting licenses here! 320 Main Street Gold Bar • Wallace Falls State Park. World- renowned waterfall, 12 miles of hiking trails, and 5 miles of biking trails. Limited parking, plan to get there early on weekends. (Discover Pass) • Off-Leash Dog Area, just off the highway along SR 2, a perfect off-leash wiggle stop! Index •Historic Bush House Inn. A mining hotel from the late 1800s that was recently renovated with the utmost love, down to the smallest detail •Index Town Wall. A 500-foot vertical climb considered to be one of the nation’s premier rock-climbing spots •Mount Index. 5,991' tall, it towers over the valley – the views and photo ops are spectacular! Skykomish •This charming historic railroad town has a free miniature train ride depicting the 1898 Great Northern & Cascade Railway. Weekends May-Oct. 101 N 5th St. •Cascadia Inn and Cafe, (ad this page). Chat with locals and fill up on hearty, all-American fare. Serving homestyle food for 100 years and offering travelers a cozy place to unwind, watch the trains go by and warm up after a long day of hiking, skiing, or just driving the Cascade Loop! Restaurant open Friday-Tuesday. 210 Railroad Ave, historiccascadia.com Insider Scoop The Sky Valley area of the Loop is a popular destination which can mean traffic delays for travelers on SR 2 heading over Stevens Pass to Leavenworth and Wenatchee. Holiday weekends are especially busy, along with weekends during the summer. If you can plan to drive this route midweek, you will find fewer cars sharing the road. The highest traffic occurs westbound on Sunday or holiday Mondays, and eastbound on Friday and Saturday.Attractions & Activities Depot Park and Railroad Museum Skykomish. Home to the Great Northern & Cascade Railway, a miniature live steam railroad (open weekends May-Oct) and railroad museum, open select hours all year. 101 N. 5th St., gncry.com Espresso Chalet, milepost 36, SR 2 near Index. Grab a snack and, of course, a coffee for the road. Picnic tables and incredible views of Bridal Veil Falls. Home to Harry, the lovable sasquatch from the movie "Harry and the Henderson’s" filmed in part right here! (360) 793-7932 Heybrook Ridge County Park, Index. A 1.6-mile trail of moderate difficulty through natural regrowth forest that culminates in stellar views of Skykomish Valley. Parking is available but there are no facilities. Pack it in, pack it out! 50606 Index-Galena Rd (no permit) Old Cascade Highway. A 7-mile stretch of the narrow old highway twists and turns along the riverbanks until it merges back onto SR 2. Closed in winter. Start at milepost 55, look for signs for Iron Goat Trail on the north side of the highway. Osprey Park, Sultan. Accessible walking trails along the river, baseball field, basketball court, and playground. Offers front-row seats to a pink salmon phenomenon when thousands of the fish fill the Sultan River to spawn in the fall (odd years ONLY). Join hundreds of other guests here at the Return of the Salmon celebration September 23, 2023 Skykomish River. Fishermen line the riverbanks, and drift boats float the more tranquil waters that surround prized fishing holes. Great winter steelhead fishing! Immensely popular for whitewater rafting. Travelers Rest and Dog Park, Sultan. Just off SR 2 on the east side, near lots of great road trip treat options! Stevens Pass Recreation Area: Skiing and snowboarding, Stevens Pass Mountain Resort. 1,125 acres of skiable terrain. (206) 812-4510, stevenspass.com Cross-country skiing, Stevens Pass Nordic Center (28k). Parking (free) is 5 miles east of the resort on SR2. Trail use requires tickets. (206) 812-4510, stevenspass.com Black bear having breakfast, Pete Freund17 Land of Waterfalls Bridal Veil Falls, milepost 35, near Index. The falls begin in a narrow draw near Mount Index. They widen and fall down rocky cliffs, forming several distinct “veils” which are visible from the highway. For a closer look, hike the challenging Lake Serene Trail and spur trails to a viewing deck where you are close enough to feel the spray. (NW Forest Pass) Deception Falls, milepost 56. Follow the ½ mile interpretive ADA-accessible trail to a bridge that spans the Upper Falls. Cross footbridges and admire the rock formations carved by the force of the river as you descend into a moss-drenched forest and meander along rocky streams. Picnic area, nature loop, restrooms. (No permit needed) Wallace Falls (State Park), Gold Bar. Three tiers of water drop in nine falls from a height of 265 feet. Twelve miles of foot trails offer a variety of views. Limited parking, arrive early on weekends! 14503 Wallace Lake Rd. (Discover Pass) Deception Falls, Pete Freund 18 Visitor Info Seattle NorthCountry, Find trip inspiration and resources for activities in Snohomish County. seattlenorthcountry.com Sky Valley Information Center, Sultan (ad p. 17) Chat with helpful staff members and learn all the best places to eat, sleep, and play in the Sky Valley! Closed Sunday. 320 Main St., (360) 793-0983 skyvalleychamber.com/visit Great Northern Railroad MP 1711 near Wellington, Pete Freund Just west of Stevens Pass Ski Area turn north onto Tye Road and head down the canyon to Wellington. This was the site of the deadliest avalanche in US History. A wall of snow slammed into train cars parked near here, tumbling them, along with their passengers, into the Tye River Gorge, 150 feet below. Train cars were smashed into trees and buried under as much as 70 feet of debris. The Iron Goat Trail takes you through snowsheds built to protect trains from future avalanches after this tragic event in 1910. Find a picnic area, nature loop, restrooms and a wide gravel trail with wooden bridges that cross small creeks and make the journey easy on wheelchairs. Interpretive panels tell the story of a the avalanche that inspired the 9-mile tunnel through the mountains that is still in use today! (No permit needed at this parking area) Iron Goat Trail, Three access points to this glimpse of railroad history in the region. Wellington Townsite (see above) Martin Creek Trailhead. Accessible restroom facilities. Take Old Cascade Highway (milepost 55-FS #67) approx. 2.3 miles, then take FS #6710 1.4 miles to the parking lot. (NW Forest Pass) Iron Goat Interpretive Site Accessible from the east at milepost 66.4, (or from the west at milepost 55). Caboose, vault toilets. (NW Forest Pass) Learn more about all our great Side Trips at cascadeloop.com/side-trips Lodging Cascadia Inn, Skykomish (ad p. 15) A great home base for hiking or skiing adventures, the closest west-side lodging to Stevens Pass Ski Area. The Inn has been charming guests for 100 years! 210 E Railroad Ave. (425) 293-1937 historiccascadia.com Bush House Inn, Index. Modern conveniences with vintage charm. Renovated mining-era 1898 structure. 308 5th Street, (425) 298-7642 bushhouseinn.com Learn more about the Wellington Disaster on our Blog Side Trip: WellingtonIcicle River near Blackbird Island Made possible in part with assistance from Chelan County Tourism Hotel-Motel Tax FundNext >