Here the valley narrows and the forest closes in, with towering Douglas firs and red cedars draped in moss, and the river rushes over boulders beside the road. Mount Baker itself is hidden for now, but you can feel it ahead.
Glacier is a tiny place, with a handful of houses, a couple of cafés, a ski shop and a ranger station. It is a popular stop for skiers in winter and hikers in summer, and the bakery and cafés are good places to stop for a coffee before heading up into the mountains. The ranger station has information about trails and road conditions.
The riding from Bellingham is pleasant but unremarkable at first, with farms and small towns along the valley floor. Past Maple Falls and Glacier, the road becomes more interesting, with long curves through the forest and occasional views of the river. A little east of Glacier, a short side trail leads to Nooksack Falls, a powerful waterfall that drops into a narrow gorge. It is just a few minutes from the road and worth the stop.
The Nooksack valley is one of the wettest places in Washington, with heavy rainfall in autumn and winter and frequent fog. The forest is lush and green, with ferns and mosses covering every surface. Black bears are common, and you may see them along the road in late summer, feeding on berries. Salmon run up the Nooksack River in autumn.
Fuel is limited east of Maple Falls, and you should fill up before you head into the mountains. The nearest larger town is Abbotsford, just across the Canadian border, about thirty kilometres away, though Bellingham, to the west, is the more practical stop for most riders. The road beyond Glacier climbs steeply to the Mount Baker Ski Area, and further still to Artist Point, which is only open for a few months in summer.