From Seattle - Enchanting Mt Baker and Cascades Tour in SUV

Embark from Seattle to a scenic drive towards Mt Baker on I 5. Mount Baker Highway (SR 542), connects Bellingham to snow-capped Mt. Baker. The highway was built gradually in the late 1800s as an access road for the lucrative logging industry and its rich history is well documented. At Glacier, the road passes into the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and is a designated National Forest Scenic Byway. Towering evergreens and leaf maples line the route, with skirts of the Nooksack River peeking out at several points. In the summer months, the highway ends at milepost 58 in a parking lot, which gives visitors access to Artist Point and its spectacular views of Mt. Baker’s 10,781-foot peak. The area is a great jumping-off-point for Mt. Baker hiking. In the winter months, the road ends at milepost 55, which is the Mount Baker Ski Area – holder of the world record for snowfall in a single season and is the birthplace of snowboarding.

Fragrance Lake sits up in the cradle of the Chuckanut Mountains in Larrabee State Park, just south of Bellingham. This hike is a popular spot for geologists like Dave Tucker to hang out, because of the diverse types of geology you pass through. “The trail to Fragrance Lake in Larabee State Park is one of the most popular [hiking trails] in the Bellingham area,” Tucker said in his Fragrance Lake Geology Guide.

If you love great food, boutique shopping, an amazing art scene and getting outside in a small town, you will love Bellingham’s Fairhaven Village. One of my favorite things about the Village is that everything is local and can only be found here in Whatcom County, making it the perfect day trip from Seattle. No visit to Bellingham is complete without crossing off at least a few items on this list.

The Civilian Conservation Corps built the Heather Meadows Visitor Center in 1940 for a ski warming hut. Workers used rock and heavy timber to meticulously restore the building’s architectural lines to blend into the surrounding environment. The center sits on a rock ledge at the edge of the Austin Pass Picnic Area and overlooks Bagley Lakes in the Heather Meadows area located along the upper reaches of the Mt. Baker Scenic Byway, State Route 542.

After you've wound your way up Mount Baker Highway, all the gorgeous mountain scenery comes to an extraordinary climax at Artist Point. A short hike takes you to grand views of Mount Baker itself, the volcanic peak to the southwest of Artist Point. You don't even have to leave the parking lot to take in the breathtaking sight of Mt. Shuksan and the North Cascade Range. Hiking trails, including the short Artist Ridge trail, allow you to savor the views in all directions.

Nooksack Falls (mile 40) A short drive off the main highway along Wells Creek Road (a well-maintained dirt road) takes you to the viewing area for this charming misty waterfall.

Picture Lake (mile 55) For much of the year, this extremely photogenic little lake is as far as you can travel along the Mount Baker Highway. The road circles the lake, as does a flat and accessible half-mile trail. From the trail (or your parking spot) you can enjoy an amazing view of Mt. Shuksan, made all the more lovely reflected in the still lake.

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