Mount Baker Highway (Route 542)

Byway Details

Designation

National Forest Scenic Byway

Length

54 mi in Washington

Managed by

Forest Service

About Mount Baker Highway (Route 542)

Mount Baker Highway, Washington's Route 542, is a 53.7-mile scenic drive on Forest Service land that carries two designations: National Forest Scenic Byway and Washington State Scenic Byway. The route begins in Bellingham and runs east through the small towns of Deming, Kendall, Maple Falls and Glacier, so fuel, food and lodging are spread along its length rather than concentrated at one end. July and August are the most comfortable months for the drive. Typical highs average about 73°F with only around six wet days each month, based on averages from a nearby weather station at Bellingham's airport. That station sits at about 150 feet, and temperatures run cooler as the highway climbs. The byway also works as an access road for other activities. Silver Fir Campground and Douglas Fir Campground sit right beside it. Paddlers can reach the North Fork Nooksack River, and climbers can head to Baker Crags, a short distance off the road.