> PEAK EXPERIENCES

Take a spin up any of these mountain paths
for unrivaled (and no-sweat) views

WHILE ABOUT 5,000 CLIMBERS reach Mount Rainier’s summit every year, most vacationers approach Washington’s mountains with a more modest goal: finding a great view. To that end, these spectacular vistas are only a short walk from the car. (Remember to check for weather-related road closures before heading out.)
—MIKE GREENSTEIN

Erie Mountain Drive, Anacortes

The highest point on Fidalgo Island offers views of the San Juan Islands, Mount Baker, the Skagit Valley, Whidbey Island, and Mount Rainier. www.cityofanacortes.org/ parks/parks.htm

Hurricane Ridge Road, Port Angeles

The 17-mile drive from the Olympic National Park entrance to a 5,200-foot-high meadow has views of towering peaks above and the Strait of Juan de Fuca below. www.nps.gov/olym

Paradise and Sunrise, Mount Rainier

The new Paradise Jackson Visitor Center and Sunrise Visitor Center offer stirring views and idyllic picnicking spots, the latter at the highest drivable point in the park (6,400 feet). www.nps.gov/mora

Mount Baker Highway, Whatcom County

The last three miles of the 58- mile route (SR 542) from I-5 to Artist Point climbs 3,200 feet to reveal postcard views of Mount Baker. www.wsdot.wa.gov/North west/Baker/ArtistPoint/ default.htm

Mount Constitution Road, Orcas Island

The windy 4.9-mile road through Moran State Park leads to the 2,409- foot summit, where the view extends from Mount Rainier to Vancouver, BC. www.parks.wa.gov/parks North Cascades Scenic Highway, Newhalem– Winthrop This 70-mile stretch of SR 20 through America’s Alps includes overlooks at Ross Lake and Washington Pass. www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/ passes/northcascades

Mount Spokane State Park Drive, Mead

A six-mile paved road leads to the 5,883-foot summit— and views of Idaho and Canada. www.parks. wa.gov/parks Spirit Lake Memorial Highway, Mount St. Helens National Monument This 54-mile route from I-5 to Johnston Ridge Observatory offers incredible views of a recovering landscape. www.wsdot.wa.gov

Steptoe Butte, Colfax

A 3.5-mile paved road winds to the summit—and awesome views of farmlands and the Selkirk, Blue, and Bitterroot ranges. www.parks.wa.gov/parks

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2010 Washington State Visitors’ Guide