North Cascades Highway (WA-20)

About this drive

Washington State Route 20, the North Cascades Highway, cuts through one of the most rugged and remote mountain ranges in the contiguous United States. Over 133 miles, the road climbs through old-growth rainforest, past turquoise glacial lakes, and over Washington Pass at 5,477 feet with dramatic views of Liberty Bell Mountain's sheer granite walls. The highway is closed by snow each winter, making the late-spring opening a celebrated annual event. Often called the American Alps, this is wild country at its finest.