Why this ride
148 km one way from White Center - plan on about 2 h 57 of riding. near Prairie Ridge is the high point.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
North Cascades Highway · part 3
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 148 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 2 h 57
- Journey
- One way; return travel is separate
Distance and timing basis
Ordered leg totals agree within rounding. Stop distances are approximate sums of rounded legs. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
Scenic road chapters
Chinook Pass Scenic Byway
Expect company on a summer weekend. Early is better than fast. For about 72 km this is Chinook Pass Scenic Byway, a road with a name of its own and a reason for it.
Chapter facts
- Length
- 72 km
- Named road
- Chinook Pass Scenic Byway
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Near White Center
Ferries are the quiet heart of this corner of Seattle. White Center, a modest, diverse neighbourhood, lies just inland, and Lincoln Park offers forest trails, beaches and views over the water.
Read the complete Near White Center write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
North Cascades Highway checkpoint 8 is where the day begins. Next is Scenic stretch in Waller.
2. Scenic stretch in Waller
Waller is an unincorporated community on the eastern side of Tacoma, in Pierce County, a semi-rural area of small farms, woodlots and scattered homes between the city and the Puyallup River valley. It is not a famous place, but it is a good example of the green, rolling country that surrounds the Puget Sound cities.
Read the complete Scenic stretch in Waller write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Scenic stretch in Waller comes up about 49 km into the recorded legs. Next is High point near Prairie Ridge.
3. High point near Prairie Ridge
Prairie Ridge is a residential community on a plateau above the Puyallup and White River valleys, south of Bonney Lake in Pierce County. The ridge rises above the surrounding lowlands, and on clear days the view of Mount Rainier is spectacular, the great volcano filling the south-eastern sky with its glaciers and snowfields.
Read the complete High point near Prairie Ridge write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
This is where the road stops climbing. Next is Back to North.
4. Back to North
The tall, bare face of Mount Si dominates the horizon, a steep ridge above the town that stands about 1,270 metres tall and is one of the most climbed hills in Washington. Behind it the range goes on, forest after forest, to the passes.
Read the complete North write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Back to North closes the day.
Leg by leg
Scenic stretch in Waller to High point near Prairie Ridge
Scenic stretch in Waller → High point near Prairie Ridge is 26 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
High point near Prairie Ridge to Back to North
High point near Prairie Ridge → Back to North is 72 km of getting across. Ride it tidily and keep the enthusiasm for what comes after.