State Route 20 (SR 20), also known as the North Cascades Highway, is a

state highway A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either Route number, numbered or maintained by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered ...

that traverses the U.S. state of

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

. It is the state's longest highway, traveling across the northern areas of Washington, from U.S. Route 101 (US 101) at

Discovery Bay Discovery Bay is a picturesque residential community located on Lantau Island. The 2021 census recorded a population of 19,336 residents in DB, with 55% of them being non-Chinese. DB is home to a significant community compared of expatriates ...

on the

Olympic Peninsula The Olympic Peninsula is a large peninsula in Western Washington that lies across Puget Sound from Seattle, and contains Olympic National Park. It is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean, the north by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the ...

to US 2 near the

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...

state border in

Newport Newport most commonly refers to: *Newport, Wales *Newport, Rhode Island, US Newport or New Port may also refer to: Places Asia *Newport City, Metro Manila, a Philippine district in Pasay * Newport (Vietnam), a United States Army and Army of t ...

. The highway travels across

Whidbey Island Whidbey Island (historical spellings Whidby, Whitbey, or Whitby) is the largest of the islands composing Island County, Washington, Island County, Washington (state), Washington, in the United States, and the largest island in Washington stat ...

North Cascades National Park North Cascades National Park is a List of national parks of the United States, national park of the United States in Washington (state), Washington. At more than , it is the largest of the three National Park Service units that comprise the No ...

, the

Okanagan Highland The Okanagan Highland is an elevated hilly plateau area in British Columbia, Canada, and the U.S. state of Washington (where it is spelled Okanogan Highlands). Rounded mountains with elevations up to above sea level and deep, narrow valleys ar ...

, the

Kettle River Range The Kettle River Range, often called the Kettle Range, is the southernmost range of the Monashee Mountains, located in far southeastern British Columbia, Canada and Ferry County, Washington, in the United States. Most of the northern half of th ...

, and the

Selkirk Mountains The Selkirk Mountains are a mountain range spanning the northern portion of the Idaho Panhandle, eastern Washington, and southeastern British Columbia which are part of a larger grouping of mountains, the Columbia Mountains. They begin at Mic ...

. SR 20 connects several major north–south state highways, including

Interstate 5 Interstate 5 (I-5) is the main north–south Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific coast of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada. It travels thro ...

(I-5) in Burlington, US 97 through the Okanogan– Omak area, SR 21 in

Republic A republic, based on the Latin phrase ''res publica'' ('public affair' or 'people's affair'), is a State (polity), state in which Power (social and political), political power rests with the public (people), typically through their Representat ...

, and US 395 from

Kettle Falls Kettle Falls ( Salish: Shonitkwu, meaning "roaring or noisy waters", also Schwenetekoo translated as "Keep Sounding Water") was an ancient and important salmon fishing site on the upper reaches of the Columbia River, in what is today the U.S. s ...

to Colville. SR 20's path across the Cascades follows one of the oldest state roads in Washington, established in 1896 as a wagon route. The wagon road fell into disuse within a decade, and the state government postponed the construction of a new route across the North Cascades for several decades. The development of the

Skagit River Hydroelectric Project The Skagit River Hydroelectric Project is a series of dams with hydroelectric power-generating stations on the Skagit River in the north of the U.S. state of Washington. The project is owned and operated by Seattle City Light to provide elect ...

spurred boosters to lobby the state for a new route across

Washington Pass Washington Pass (el. 5477 ft./1669 m.) and Rainy Pass (el. 4875 ft./1486 m.) are two mountain passes on State Route 20 ( North Cascades Highway) in the North Cascades mountains of Washington state. Rainy Pass is about 4 miles to the ...

, which was opened in 1972. SR 20 originally ran from the

Mount Vernon Mount Vernon is the former residence and plantation of George Washington, a Founding Father, commander of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and the first president of the United States, and his wife, Martha. An American landmar ...

area to Okanogan. By 1973, SR 20 was extended over existing state highways in northern Washington, replacing SR 113 and portions of SR 525 and SR 536 near

Port Townsend Port Townsend is a city on the Quimper Peninsula in Jefferson County, Washington, United States. The population was 10,148 at the 2020 United States Census. It is the county seat and only incorporated city of Jefferson County. In addition ...

; SR 30 and SR 294 from

Tonasket Tonasket is a city in Okanogan County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,103 at the 2020 census. History Tonasket was officially incorporated on December 16, 1927. It is named after Chief Tonasket of the Okanogan people, a loc ...

Tiger The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is a large Felidae, cat and a member of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Asia. It has a powerful, muscular body with a large head and paws, a long tail and orange fur with black, mostly vertical stripes. It is ...

; and part of SR 31 from Tiger to Newport. Although US 12 has a larger east–west extent, SR 20 is the longest highway in Washington at , only longer than US 12. The highway has been called "The Most Beautiful Mountain Highway in the State of Washington."

Route description

United States Washington Pass Highway 20 and Liberty Bell Mountain

SR 20 begins at a wye junction with US 101 at the southwest end of

on the

, just north of the terminus of SR 104. The highway travels northerly through the rural

Quimper Peninsula The Quimper Peninsula is a narrow peninsula forming the most northeastern extent of the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state in the northwestern United States of America. The peninsula is named after the Peruvian-born Spanish explorer Manuel ...

and follows the east shore of Discovery Bay before reaching a junction with SR 19 near

Jefferson County International Airport Jefferson County International Airport is a public-use airport located four nautical miles (7 km) southwest of the central business district of Port Townsend, a town in Jefferson County, Washington, United States. It is owned by the Port o ...

. SR 20 turns north onto the highway and passes

Fort Townsend State Park Fort Townsend State Park (formerly Old Fort Townsend State Park) is a public recreation area located two miles south of Port Townsend in Jefferson County, Washington. The state park occupies a third of the site of the original Fort Townsend bui ...

on the southern outskirts of

near Glen Cove. Within Port Townsend, the highway travels east through suburban areas as Sims Way and towards the historic downtown as Water Street. To the southwest of Port Townsend's

historic district A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains historic building, older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal p ...

, the route turns southeast into the city

ferry terminal A passenger terminal is a structure in a port which services passengers boarding and leaving water vessels such as ferry, ferries, cruise ships and ocean liners. Depending on the types of vessels serviced by the terminal, it may be named (for e ...

. SR 20 continues onto the

Port Townsend–Coupeville ferry A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manches ...

which travels northeast across the

Admiralty Inlet Admiralty Inlet is a strait in the U.S. state of Washington connecting the eastern end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Puget Sound. It lies between Whidbey Island and the northeastern part of the Olympic Peninsula. Boundaries It is generall ...

to the Keystone terminal on

. The ferry, operated by

Washington State Ferries Washington State Ferries (WSF) is a public ferry system in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. It is a division of the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and operates 10 routes serving 20 terminals within Puget ...

, takes approximately 30 minutes between terminals and runs year-round. From the Keystone ferry terminal, located adjacent to Fort Casey State Park, the highway travels east between the shore of Admiralty Bay and

Crockett Lake Crockett Lake is a lake in Island County, Washington Island County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, its population was 86,857. Its county seat is Coupeville, while its largest city is Oak Harbor. ...

, while making a short diversion to the north. SR 20 turns northwest at an intersection with SR 525, which terminates and is supplanted by SR 20. The highway, designated as part of the Cascade Loop and Whidbey Scenic Isle Way state scenic byways, passes the

Naval Outlying Landing Field Coupeville Naval Outlying Landing Field Coupeville—or NOLF Coupeville— is a military airport located two miles (3 km) southeast of Coupeville, Washington, in Island County. The airfield is owned and operated by the United States Navy. NOLF Coupe ...

and Rhododendron County Park before taking a turn west towards Coupeville and Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve. SR 20 passes to the south of downtown Coupeville, with eastbound lanes traveling westward and vice versa, and wraps around the western shore of

Penn Cove Whidbey Island (historical spellings Whidby, Whitbey, or Whitby) is the largest of the islands composing Island County, Washington, in the United States, and the largest island in Washington state. Whidbey is about north of Seattle, and lie ...

in a long 180-degree turn that passes

Fort Ebey State Park Fort Ebey State Park is a public recreation area occupying the site of former Fort Ebey on the west side of Whidbey Island, west of Coupeville, Washington, Coupeville in Island County, Washington, Island County, Washington (state), Washington, ...

. The highway continues northeast into Oak Harbor, where it travels around the downtown area and heads towards

Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) is a naval air station of the United States Navy located on two pieces of land near Oak Harbor, Washington, Oak Harbor, on Whidbey Island, in Island County, Washington (state), Washington. The main ...

. SR 20 makes a wide turn around the base's runway and enters

Deception Pass State Park Deception Pass (; ) is a strait separating Whidbey Island from Fidalgo Island, in the northwest part of the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. It connects Skagit Bay, part of Puget Sound, with the Strait of Juan de Fuca. A pair of bri ...

. The highway leaves Whidbey Island on the

Deception Pass Bridge Deception Pass Bridge is the common name for two two-lane bridges on Washington State Route 20 connecting Whidbey Island in Island County, to Fidalgo Island in Skagit County, in the U.S. state of Washington. It was a Washington State Highways pro ...

, crossing over

Deception Pass Deception Pass (; ) is a strait separating Whidbey Island from Fidalgo Island, in the northwest part of the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. It connects Skagit Bay, part of Puget Sound, with the Strait of Juan de Fuca. A pair of bri ...

, Pass Island, and Canoe Pass on its way to

Fidalgo Island Fidalgo Island is an island in Skagit County, Washington, located about north of Seattle. To the east, it is separated from the mainland by the Swinomish Channel, and from Whidbey Island to the south by Deception Pass. The island is named afte ...

. SR 20 continues northeast, passing between Lake Campbell and Similk Bay, to Sharpes Corner, where it is joined by a

spur route A spur route is a short road forming a branch from a longer, more important road such as a freeway, Interstate Highway, or motorway. A Bypass route, bypass or beltway is not considered a spur route as it typically reconnects with another or the ...

serving

Swinomish Reservation The Swinomish Indian Reservation is the Indian reservation, reservation of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, located on Fidalgo Island in western Washington (state), Washington state. The western boundary of the reservation is disputed betw ...

and crossing the

Swinomish Channel The Swinomish Channel is an long salt-water channel in Washington state, United States, which connects Skagit Bay to the south and Padilla Bay to the north, separating Fidalgo Island from mainland Skagit County. The Swinomish Channel is the s ...

to the

Skagit Valley The Skagit Valley lies in the northwestern corner of the state of Washington, United States. Its defining feature is the Skagit River, which snakes through local communities which include the seat of Skagit County, Mount Vernon, as well as ...

. The highway follows a branch of the

BNSF Railway BNSF Railway is the largest freight railroad in the United States. One of six North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 36,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and over 8,000 locomotives. It has three Transcontinental railroad, transcontine ...

, serving the

Shell Shell may refer to: Architecture and design * Shell (structure), a thin structure ** Concrete shell, a thin shell of concrete, usually with no interior columns or exterior buttresses Science Biology * Seashell, a hard outer layer of a marine ani ...

and

Marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of kilometres ( 26 mi 385 yd), usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There ...

oil refineries on March's Point, along the south side of

Padilla Bay Padilla Bay is a bay located in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington, between the San Juan Islands and the mainland. Fidalgo Island and Guemes Island lie to the west of Padilla Bay. Guemes Channel, between the islands, connects Padil ...

. Near

Skagit Regional Airport Skagit Regional Airport is a public airport located west of the central business district of Burlington and northwest of Mount Vernon, both cities in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The airport is owned by the Port of Skagit Count ...

, it intersects SR 536, which connects to

, and veers northeast along a four-lane expressway. SR 20 enters the city of Burlington, where it intersects I-5 and transitions into a city street and turns north onto Burlington Boulevard. The street crosses the BNSF Railway and turns east onto Avon Avenue, crossing the BNSF mainline and joining the North Cascades Highway. SR 20 continues northeast out of Burlington along a branch of the BNSF Railway and the

Skagit River The Skagit River ( ) is a river in southwestern British Columbia in Canada and northwestern Washington (state), Washington in the United States, approximately 150 mi (240 km) long. The river and its tributaries drain an area of 1.7&nbs ...

into

Sedro-Woolley Sedro-Woolley ( ) is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. It is part of the Mount Vernon–Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area and had a population of 12,421 at the 2020 census. The city is home to the admini ...

, where it becomes

concurrent Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to: Law * Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea'' * Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...

with SR 9 while bypassing the city's downtown. The highway travels east along the Skagit River, climbing uphill into the

Cascade Mountains The Cascade Range or Cascades is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as many of those in the ...

and passing the towns of Lyman and

Concrete Concrete is a composite material composed of aggregate bound together with a fluid cement that cures to a solid over time. It is the second-most-used substance (after water), the most–widely used building material, and the most-manufactur ...

, located below Lake Shannon and Baker Lake. At Rockport, SR 20 intersects the eastern terminus of SR 530, which continues towards Darrington and

Arlington Arlington most often refers to: *Arlington, Virginia **Arlington National Cemetery, a United States military cemetery *Arlington, Texas Arlington may also refer to: Places Australia *Arlington light rail station, on the Inner West Light Rail in S ...

. After passing

Marblemount Marblemount is a census-designated place in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The population was 286 at the 2020 census. It is included in the Mount Vernon–Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area. History Present-day M ...

, the highway enters

and

Whatcom County Whatcom County (, ) is a county located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Washington, bordered by the Lower Mainland (the Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley Regional Districts) of the Canadian province of British Columbia to t ...

. It heads further northeast through Newhalem, a preserved

company town A company town is a place where all or most of the stores and housing in the town are owned by the same company that is also the main employer. Company towns are often planned with a suite of amenities such as stores, houses of worship, schoo ...

for

Seattle City Light Seattle City Light is the public utility providing electricity to Seattle, Washington, in the United States, and parts of its metropolitan area, including all of Shoreline, nearly all of Lake Forest Park, and parts of unincorporated King County, ...

, and the narrow Diablo Canyon to the

Diablo Dam Diablo Dam is one of three dams along the upper Skagit River in Whatcom County, Washington and part of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project that supplies Seattle with some of its power needs. The dam was built in Diablo Canyon, a gorge of solid ...

and Diablo Lake, a reservoir that is colored turquoise blue. The roadway makes a long

hairpin turn A hairpin turn (also hairpin bend or hairpin corner) is a bend in a road with a very acute inner angle, making it necessary for an oncoming vehicle to turn about 180° to continue on the road. It is named for its resemblance to a bent metal ha ...

around the southern arm of the lake, crossing it at a narrow point and passing a scenic viewpoint, and continues northeast to Ross Lake. From Ross Lake, SR 20 follows Ruby Creek and Canyon Creek, heading southeast out of the national park and back into Skagit County. The highway crosses Rainy Pass and briefly joins the

Pacific Crest Trail The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), officially designated as the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, is a long-distance hiking and equestrian trail closely aligned with the highest portion of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges, which lie ...

as it travels around

Whistler Mountain Whistler Mountain ( Lillooet/Ucwalmícwts: Nsqwítsu) is a mountain in the Fitzsimmons Range of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains, located on the northwestern edge of Garibaldi Provincial Park. It is the location of the Whistler-Blac ...

, climbing up into Chelan County. SR 20 turns north and crosses

into

Okanogan County Okanogan County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington along the Canada–U.S. border. As of the 2020 census, the population was 42,104. The county seat is Okanogan, while the most populous city is Omak. It is the largest c ...

, making a hairpin turn and beginning its descent into

Eastern Washington Eastern Washington is the region of the U.S. state of Washington located east of the Cascade Range. It contains the city of Spokane (the second largest city in the state), the Tri-Cities, the Columbia River and the Grand Coulee Dam, the H ...

. SR 20 travels northeast along Early Winters Creek and the base of Delancy Ridge towards Mazama, where it meets the

Methow River The Methow River ( ) is a tributary of the Columbia River in northern Washington in the United States. The river's watershed drains the eastern North Cascades, with a population of about 5,000 people. The Methow's watershed is characterized by ...

. The highway continues southeast along the north side of the river to Winthrop, an old-west-themed town where SR 20 forms the main street between two river crossings. SR 20 heads south through Twisp to a junction with SR 153, where it leaves the Methow River and turns northeast up Frazer Creek towards

Loup Loup Pass Loup Loup Pass (el. 4020 ft./1225 m.) is a mountain pass in the Cascades in the state of Washington. It is located east of the Methow Valley of Okanogan County, between the towns of Twisp and Okanogan on State Route 20. A small ski area ...

and the

Loup Loup Ski Bowl Loup Loup Ski Bowl is a ski area located in Okanogan County, Washington, midway between the towns of Twisp and Okanogan on Highway 20. The ski area's season generally runs from late December or early January to the end of March, but is only ...

. The highway descends into the

Okanogan Valley Okanogan County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington along the Canada–U.S. border. As of the 2020 census, the population was 42,104. The county seat is Okanogan, while the most populous city is Omak. It is the largest c ...

near Malott and continues northeast along the

Okanogan River The Okanogan River (known as the Okanagan River in Canada) is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately 115 mi (185 km) long, in southern British Columbia and north central Washington. It drains a scenic plateau region called t ...

to the city of Okanogan. SR 20 takes a turn south over the Okanogan River to join US 97 and bypass the city, while the highway is superseded by SR 215. The concurrent SR 20 and US 97 continue along the east side of the river through the

Colville Indian Reservation The Colville Indian Reservation is an Indian reservation located in Washington (state), Washington state, U.S. It is inhabited and managed by the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, which are List of federally recognized tribes in ...

, intersecting SR 155 in eastern Omak and SR 215 to the north of another river crossing. The highway travels north through the farming community of Riverside to

, where SR 20 leaves US 97 and takes a turn east towards the Okanogan Highlands. It climbs Bonaparte Creek and crosses Wauconda Pass, near Mount Bonaparte and the ghost town of Wauconda, before beginning its descent into

. SR 20 enters Republic on 6th Street and turns south onto Clark Avenue, the town's main street, before coming to a junction with SR 21. The highway turns northeast onto the Sherman Pass Scenic Byway, carrying the concurrent SR 20 and SR 21, and follows the

Sanpoil River The Sanpoil River (also spelled San Poil) is a tributary of the Columbia River, in the U.S. state of Washington. The river is named for the Sanpoil, the Interior Salish people who live along the river course. The name is from the Okanagan ...

. SR 21 leaves the byway at Sanpoil Lake, while SR 20 travels into the

along O'Brien Creek. The highway dips south into the

Colville National Forest The Colville National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in northeastern Washington state. It is bordered on the west by the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest and the Kaniksu National Forest to the east. The forest also borders Litt ...

and climbs the ridge, crossing Sherman Pass in a series of hairpin turns. The pass, located above sea level, is the highest in the state. SR 20 descends along Sherman Creek towards

Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake (also called Lake Roosevelt) is the reservoir created in 1941 by the impoundment of the Columbia River by the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington state. It is named for Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was president during the ...

on the

Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook language, Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin language, Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river headwater ...

, which it crosses on a highway concurrent with US 395. The two routes travel east through

, intersecting SR 25, and follow the Colville River upstream to the city of Colville. At Colville, SR 20 turns east away from US 395 and continues into the southern reaches of the

. The highway forms the northern boundary of the Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge and follows the

Little Pend Oreille River Little is a synonym for small size and may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Little'' (album), 1990 debut album of Vic Chesnutt * ''Little'' (film), 2019 American comedy film *The Littles, a series of children's novels by American author John P ...

north through a series of glacial lakes. After entering Pend Oreille County, SR 20 makes a series of hairpin turns to descend into the Pend Oreille Valley. At an intersection with SR 31 in

, the highway turns south to follow the

Pend Oreille River The Pend Oreille River ( ) is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately long, in northern Idaho and northeastern Washington in the United States, as well as southeastern British Columbia in Canada. In its passage through British Columbia ...

, becoming part of the

International Selkirk Loop The International Selkirk Loop is a scenic highway in the U.S. states of Idaho and Washington, as well as the Canadian province of British Columbia. The loop encircles the Selkirk Mountain Range, and offers several side trips aside from the mai ...

and Pend Oreille Scenic Byway in the process. SR 20 continues south along the river, joined by the Pend Oreille Valley Railroad, and intersects SR 211 at

Usk Usk () is a town and community in Monmouthshire, Wales, northeast of Newport. It is located on the River Usk, which is spanned by an arched stone bridge at the western entrance to the town. Usk Castle, above the town, overlooks the ancient cr ...

. Approximately southeast of Usk, the highway terminates at US 2, just west of the Washington–

state line.

Names and designations

Portions of SR 20 are known as the North Cascades Highway (originally the North Cross State Highway), which is a designated Washington State Scenic Byway and a

National Forest Scenic Byway The National Forest Scenic Byways are roads that have been designated by the U.S. Forest Service as scenic byways. Many are also National Scenic Byways (NSB). The program was initiated in 1987. List The following roadways were listed by the Fede ...

. The Sherman Pass Scenic Byway begins at

, and extends east across the mountainous

, and the

through

to Sherman Pass. The highway also forms most of the Washington segment of U.S. Bicycle Route 10, which travels between Anacortes and the

Montana Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...

state border.

Annual closure

SR 20 is one of only five State Routes in Washington that have portions closed in the winter (the others being SR 410, SR 123, SR 504, and SR 165).

(elev. ) and nearby Rainy Pass (elev. ) annually receive up to of snow throughout the winter, and are prone to avalanches leaving over of snow on the road. , the median first open date was April 21. The median final closure date was November 24. During the drought of the winter of 1976/77, the highway was not closed.

History

What is known today as the North Cascades Highway was originally the corridor used by local Native American tribes as a trading route from

's Eastern Plateau country to the Pacific Coast for more than 8,000 years. After the

California Gold Rush The California gold rush (1848–1855) began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California from the rest of the U ...

of 1849, white settlers started to arrive in the North Cascades looking for gold as well as fur-bearing animals. This far north, the settlers needed a clear route through some of the most rugged terrain in

Washington Territory The Washington Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1853, until November 11, 1889, when the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Washington. It was created from the ...

It wasn't until 1895, however, that funding to explore a possible route through the Cascade Range was appropriated. After one year of surveying possible routes in the Upper Skagit River region, the State Road Commission concluded in 1896 that the Skagit gorge was not a practical route. Instead, the commission settled upon the

Cascade Pass Cascade, or Cascading may refer to: Science and technology Science * Air shower (physics), a cascade (particle shower) of subatomic particles and ionized nuclei ** Particle shower, a cascade of secondary particles produced as the result of a high ...

route, several miles south of the Skagit gorge. The Cascade Pass route began to be roughed out in 1897 and shortly afterward, state highway maps showed the road as either State Highway 1 or the Cascade Wagon Road. In the following years, floods on the Cascade River took out most of the work completed on the road and led

's first State Highway Commissioner to report in 1905 that almost all the money appropriated for the road had been wasted. After these unsuccessful attempts to build a northern cross-mountain highway, the state designated that a highway be built along the

from

Pateros Pateros, officially the Municipality of Pateros (; ), is the lone municipality of the Philippines, municipality of Metropolitan Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 65,227 people. This munic ...

to Hart's Pass, high above Eastern Washington's

Methow Valley The Methow River ( ) is a tributary of the Columbia River in northern Washington in the United States. The river's watershed drains the eastern North Cascades, with a population of about 5,000 people. The Methow's watershed is characterized by ...

. This road was completed in 1909. By 1936, both of

projects, Gorge Dam and

, had been completed and were attracting visitors and families to the area. In 1940, the first stage of the completion of

Ross Dam Ross Dam is a -high, -long concrete thin arch dam across the Skagit River, forming Ross Lake. The dam is in Washington state, while Ross Lake extends north to British Columbia, Canada. Both dam and reservoir are located in Ross Lake National ...

was reached. Because this influx of population and interest in the area once again demonstrated the need for a northern route over the high Cascades, highway promoters began to try to persuade other boosters to finally abandon the idea of the ill-fated Cascade Pass route and instead look to agreeing on a route across Rainy and

. In 1953, the North Cascades Highway Association was formed with politicians, lobbyists, and business owners from both sides of the North Cascades taking part. As these boosters pushed Olympia harder to move forward on the highway plan, more and more requests for huge sales of old-growth timber from along the highway corridor came in. These increasing timber requests were used to support the need for a highway. Finally, in 1958, the State of Washington appropriated funds to build a highway from the Seattle City Light company town of Diablo to Thunder Arm, a southern arm of Diablo Lake. Funds were also allotted to improve access roads on both sides of the North Cascades and construction on this section of the highway began in 1959. The corridor was designated as Primary State Highway 16 (PSH 16) in 1962, replacing several earlier designations that were shared with other highways. Over the next nine years, construction of the road continued along with the signing of the

bill by President

Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), also known as LBJ, was the 36th president of the United States, serving from 1963 to 1969. He became president after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, under whom he had served a ...

in 1968. With this bill, the hope of using the highway as access for high-dollar timber sales was quashed. Nonetheless, businessmen and residents on both sides of the North Cascades were hopeful and supportive of the tourist dollars that would be seen with the opening of the "North-Cross Highway". Silver Star Mountain seen from the North Cascades Highway

Silver Star Mountain seen from the North Cascades Highway

The North Cascades Highway officially opened on September 2, 1972, with a procession led over Washington Pass by governor Dan Evans and President

Richard M. Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until his resignation in 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 36th vice president under P ...

's brother

Edward Edward is an English male name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortunate; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-S ...

. The highway's construction came with conservation measures and upgrades to camping facilities in the then-new

to handle the expected traffic. During the first weekend, an estimated 8,000 people visited the Washington Pass overlook. The

town of Winthrop renovated its buildings into an

Old West The American frontier, also known as the Old West, and popularly known as the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that bega ...

theme with false-front buildings and boardwalk sidewalks in a bid to attract tourists on the new highway. In 2023, the Okanagan County section of SR 20 was designated as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. For several weeks in August 2023, the Newhalem–Rainy Pass section of SR 20 was closed due to the Sourdough Fire and Blue Lake Fire.

Associated routes

From 1964 until 1973, SR 20 was designated as SR 113 from

to Coupeville. The route had historically been the

branch of (PSH 9 PT) and a branch of (SSH 1D) in 1937, during the creation of the Primary and secondary highways. In 1964, these two highways became SR 113, as part of a new numbering system created by the

Washington State Legislature The Washington State Legislature is the state legislature of the State of Washington. It is a bicameral body, composed of the lower Washington House of Representatives, composed of 98 representatives, and the upper Washington State Senate, w ...

and the

Washington State Department of Transportation The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT or WashDOT, both ) is a governmental agency that constructs, maintains, and regulates the use of transportation infrastructure in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. Establi ...

. When SR 20 was extended west from Fredonia in 1973, SR 113 was decommissioned. The Port Townsend– Keystone ferry wasn't technically part of SR 20 until 1994 when all of the

routes were added to the state highway system. From Coupeville to Sharpes Corner (just outside

Anacortes Anacortes ( ) is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The name "Anacortes" is an adaptation of the name of Anne Curtis Bowman, who was the wife of early Fidalgo Island settler Amos Bowman.SR 525, and prior to 1964 as SSH 1D. When the North Cascades Highway was completed, and the SR 20 designation extended Westward, the SR 525 designation was supplanted to Coupeville. From Mt. Vernon to the Anacortes Ferry Terminal, the modern SR 20 (and SR 20 Spur, west of Sharpes Corner) was designated SR 536, and prior to 1964 as the Anacortes Branch of PSH 1. When the North Cascades Highway was completed, and the SR 20 designation extended westward, the SR 536 designation was supplanted, and the SR 20 Spur designation created to keep the route to the ferry terminal within the highway system. From 1964 to 1973, the route from Colville to

was designated as SR 294, and the route from Tiger to

as SR 31.

Major intersections

Spur and business routes

SR 20 Spur

State Route 20 Spur (SR 20 Spur, also State Route 20 North and the Paul Luvera Sr. Memorial Highway) is a

of State Route 20 in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

. The highway travels north from SR 20 to the Anacortes Ferry Terminal, entirely within the city of

Anacortes Anacortes ( ) is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The name "Anacortes" is an adaptation of the name of Anne Curtis Bowman, who was the wife of early Fidalgo Island settler Amos Bowman.Skagit County Skagit County is a county in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, the population was 129,523. The county seat and largest city is Mount Vernon. The county was formed in 1883 from Whatcom County and is named for the Upper and ...

, except the ferry portion, which travels within San Juan County. The roadway was established in 1937 as the western segment of the Anacortes branch of , which became in 1964 and renumbered to SR 20 Spur and SR 20 in 1973. In 1994, SR 20 was extended along the

San Juan Islands The San Juan Islands is an archipelago in the Pacific Northwest of the United States between the U.S. state of Washington and Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The San Juan Islands are part of Washington state, and form the core of ...

ferry, which serves

Lopez Island Lopez Island is the third largest of the San Juan Islands and an unincorporated town in San Juan County, Washington, United States. Lopez Island is in land area. The 2020 census population was 3,156, though the population swells in the summe ...

Shaw Island Shaw Island is the smallest of the four San Juan Islands served by the Washington State Ferries. The island has a land area of and a small year-round population of 188 (United States Census, 2020, 2020 census). During the summer time, weeken ...

Orcas Island Orcas Island () is the largest of the San Juan Islands of the Pacific Northwest, in northwestern Washington, United States. History and naming of the island The name "Orcas" is a shortened form of ''Horcasitas,'' from Juan Vicente de Güemes P ...

and

San Juan Island San Juan Island is the second-largest and most populous of the San Juan Islands in northwestern Washington, United States. It has a land area of 142.59 km2 (55.053 sq mi) and a population of 8,632 as of the 2020 census. Washington State F ...

State Route 20 Spur (SR 20 Spur) begins at an intersection with State Route 20 southeast of downtown

Anacortes Anacortes ( ) is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The name "Anacortes" is an adaptation of the name of Anne Curtis Bowman, who was the wife of early Fidalgo Island settler Amos Bowman.Fidalgo Bay at the Sharpes Corner Roundabout. From the terminus, the roadway travels northwest and later west near the bay. The route turns northward at a round about, one block west of R Ave, to become Commercial Avenue heading toward downtown Anacortes. The street travels through downtown Anacortes before turning west to become 12th Street and later goes southwest along the waterfront as Oakes Avenue to an intersection with Sunset Avenue after passing Anacortes Airport. At Sunset Avenue, SR 20 Spur becomes Ferry Terminal Road and curves north to the Anacortes Ferry Terminal in Ship Harbor. The roadway after the intersection with SR 20 had a daily average of 23,000 motorists in 2007. SR 20 Spur was established in 1937 as the

Anacortes Anacortes ( ) is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The name "Anacortes" is an adaptation of the name of Anne Curtis Bowman, who was the wife of early Fidalgo Island settler Amos Bowman.Mount Vernon Mount Vernon is the former residence and plantation of George Washington, a Founding Father, commander of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and the first president of the United States, and his wife, Martha. An American landmar ...

, using the current highway along with State Highway 20 and . The route intersected (SSH 1D, now SR 20) in Anacortes, (former ) in Fredonia and a SSH 1C branch (became , now SR 20). PSH 1 AN was later renumbered during the 1964 highway renumbering to SR 536, SSH 1D became SR 525 and PSH 16 became SR 20. When SR 20 was extended west to

from Fredonia in 1974, SR 536 was shortened and SR 20 Spur was created. The roadway ended at the Anacortes ferry terminal until 1994, when the route was routed onto the

ferry operated by

SR 20 Business

SR 20 Business was a bannered route through

Okanagan The Okanagan ( ), also called the Okanagan Valley and sometimes the Okanagan Country, is a region in the Canadian province of British Columbia defined by the basin of Okanagan Lake and the Canadian portion of the Okanagan River. It is part of ...

and Omak that followed the former route of SR 20 and

US 97 U.S. Route 97 (US 97) is a major north–south route of the United States Numbered Highway System in the Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (PNW; ) is a geographic region in Western North America bounded by its coastal wate ...

, while SR 20 bypasses the cities along with US 97 along the East Bank of the Okanogan River. This route has been replaced with SR 215.

References

External links

* *
Sherman Pass Scenic Byway
from Washington State Department of Transportation {{DEFAULTSORT:Washington State Route 020

020 020 is the national dialling code for London in the United Kingdom. All subscriber numbers within the area code consist of eight digits and it has capacity for approaching 100 million telephone numbers. The code is used at 170 telephone exch ...

Byways Transportation in Jefferson County, Washington Transportation in Island County, Washington Transportation in Skagit County, Washington Transportation in Whatcom County, Washington Transportation in Chelan County, Washington Transportation in Okanogan County, Washington Transportation in Ferry County, Washington Transportation in Stevens County, Washington Transportation in Pend Oreille County, Washington

Route description

Names and designations

Annual closure

History

Associated routes

Major intersections

Spur and business routes

SR 20 Spur

SR 20 Business

See also

References

External links