Mount Baker Highway is State Route 542, stretching from East Bellingham toward snow-capped Mt. Baker.
Within the first five miles, Bellingham’s urban feel gives way to rolling farmland and alpine vistas. 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. Between mileposts 10 and 34, the road passes through the close-knit communities of Nugent’s Corner, Deming, Kendall, Maple Falls and Glacier.
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 peaking 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 it’s spectacular views of Mt. Baker’s 10,781-foot peak. 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 birth place of snowboarding.
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Photo Credit: escapecampervans.com
