Highway 20 Washington State

For fall colors WA20 has 2 treats - western larch around the Loup Loup campground between Omak and Twisp, and alpine larches around Washington Pass, and especially around Blue Lake. Highwood Pass in Kananaskis Country is the other alpine larch location that I've visited.

paulj wrote:

Pangaea Ron wrote:
Google Maps says:

132 miles, 2 hours 34 minutes.

That doesn't allow for stops:
Lone Fir campground
base of the Liberty Bell loop
overlook at Washington Pass
short hike at Rainy Pass (to Rainy Lake)
Happy Creek forest walk
Diablo Lake overlook
Colonial Creek campground and nature hike
Gorge Creek bridge and overlook
Newhalem - ice cream, rock garden, forest walk
Newhalem park headquarters
Rockport State Park (old growth)
side trip to Baker Lake

Also great is a hike to Blue Lake (West of Washington Pass).
North Cascades Institute ELC at Diablo Dam
Ice cream, espresso and blueberries at Cascadia Farms (West of Newhalem)

Paulj is right, there's really a lot to do along the way. I guess that I need to get up there next weekend.

Pangaea Ron wrote:
Google Maps says:

132 miles, 2 hours 34 minutes.

That doesn't allow for stops:
Lone Fir campground
base of the Liberty Bell loop
overlook at Washington Pass
short hike at Rainy Pass (to Rainy Lake)
Happy Creek forest walk
Diablo Lake overlook
Colonial Creek campground and nature hike
Gorge Creek bridge and overlook
Newhalem - ice cream, rock garden, forest walk
Newhalem park headquarters
Rockport State Park (old growth)
side trip to Baker Lake

Google Maps says:

132 miles, 2 hours 34 minutes.

Thanks,paulj for the further explanation!! Any idea of the driving time in a MH from Winthrop to Burlington?

Width is normal 2 lane state highway. Grades and curves aren't anything exceptional. But the views are exceptional. It is closed during the winter because significant stretches on the east side of the pass cross below avalanche chutes. Snow can accumulate to 50 ft. Think of Rogers Pass without the snowshed and much less traffic.

I was also comparing it to BC97 along the lake, and 3 and 3A east/west. 97c and 5 are both divided highway now, but get as high, and have comparable grades.

Thanks for all your comments,I think we will give it a try.
I wasnt worried whether I could drive it,paulj,but was more curious about the steepness and width of this highway and just how suitable a drive it is for a MH and toad?
Bruce H.

We use it almost every time we go east. coming west bound you will have 1 long pull from Mazama, to the top, and then its all down hill to Newhalem.

You will have no issues on Highway 20, there are a few steep grades so you will need to gear down. It is an amazingly beautiful drive, we do it 4-5 times a year.

Drive into the rest area/view point at Washington Pass, and walk out to the look-out.

The opening scene from "Ice Road Truckers" is filmed just east of Washington Pass before the highway was opened for the season. Don't think about that while you're driving there. We drove over last year the day after it opened and there was a 60' high cut in the Liberty Bell avalanche chute. Impressive!

If you can drive around Summerland, you can drive WA20.