Why This Legendary Mountain Drive in Washington Belongs on Your 2025 Roadtrip List

This epic drive is a must do

The Cascade Loop is Washington’s ultimate scenic byway, a 440-mile circuit showcasing the raw beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

This grand loop takes you from sea level to mountain passes, through terrain so diverse it feels like crossing multiple countries in a single day. Here’s why 2025 is your year to experience this remarkable drive.

The Most Dramatic Mountain Drive in Washington

The section through North Cascades Highway offers the loop’s signature views – sheer mountain faces rise directly from the road, with over 300 glaciers visible from your car window.

The highway itself is an engineering marvel, winding between peaks that rival the European Alps in grandeur. Don’t miss the view of Liberty Bell Mountain, its distinctive spire marking one of the most photographed spots on the route.

Three Distinct Mountain Passes

The loop connects three of Washington’s most scenic mountain passes – Stevens, Blewett, and Washington Pass.

Each offers its own character: Stevens Pass cuts through dense evergreen forests, Blewett Pass reveals expansive views of rolling highlands, and Washington Pass provides the route’s most spectacular cliff-side driving.

Together, they create a mountain driving experience unmatched in the Pacific Northwest.

Impossibly Blue Alpine Lakes

The loop strings together a series of stunning alpine lakes, each more colorful than the last.

Diablo Lake’s turquoise waters, colored by glacier silt, provide the route’s most famous photo opportunity. Ross Lake stretches north into Canada, while Lake Chelan offers 50 miles of crystal-clear water reflecting the surrounding peaks.

Diverse Climate Zones in One Drive

Few road trips let you experience such dramatic climate changes. The loop takes you from the misty Pacific coast through arid high desert, alpine tundra, and temperate rainforest – all in a single day’s drive.

This variety means you’ll see everything from coastal fog to desert sage to mountain wildflowers along your route.

The Loop’s Famous Hairpin Turns

For driving enthusiasts, the loop’s engineering is an attraction itself.

The most famous section includes a series of hairpin turns climbing to Washington Pass, each bend revealing increasingly spectacular views. The road’s design lets you safely experience mountain driving at its finest.

Four Distinct Scenic Byways in One

The Cascade Loop actually combines four designated scenic byways: the Stevens Pass Greenway, North Cascades Highway, Whidbey Scenic Isle Way, and Cascade Valley.

Each section has earned national recognition for its beauty, making this drive a “greatest hits” of Pacific Northwest scenery.

Year-Round Waterfalls

The loop’s unique geology creates year-round waterfalls.

Winter brings frozen falls near Stevens Pass, spring shows off raging snowmelt at Liberty Falls, and summer reveals hidden cascades throughout the North Cascades section. Each season transforms these water features differently.

Glacier Views From Your Car

No other Washington road trip offers such easy access to glacier views. The loop passes more than 300 glaciers, many visible directly from pullouts along the highway.

These ancient ice formations create a stunning backdrop throughout the North Cascades section.

The World’s Longest Float Plane Runway

Lake Chelan, part of the loop’s eastern section, is the longest natural float plane runway in the world.

Watch planes take off and land on the lake’s surface, adding another element to the route’s already impressive views. This unique feature exemplifies how the loop combines natural wonders with human ingenuity.