Chuckanut Drive

Heading north up the coast from the Skagit Valley [1], you enter one of the most scenic stretches of highway in the state—Chuckanut Drive. This 11-mile portion of Highway 11 was the first route designated a scenic drive by the state. Built as part of the now-extinct Pacific Highway, it leaves I-5 just north of Burlington and heads straight as a cue stick across the black, flat soil of the Skagit Valley. The tiny towns of Bow and Edison have begun attracting artists, and several studios are open for weekend visits.

A short distance north of Bow, the highway runs head-on into the mountains that hover over Puget Sound; it’s here that the fun begins. The road doesn’t have a straight stretch for seven miles as it swoops and swerves along the face of the cliff, with grand views across to Anacortes [2], Guemes Island, and, farther north, the San Juan [3] and Lummi Islands [4]. With no shoulder, a narrow strip of pavement, and tight corners, it’s a bit dicey for bikes (especially on weekends when traffic is heaviest), but the views are stunning.

For more information on Chuckanut Drive, see the Chuckanut Merchants’ Association [5].