Mountains to Sound Greenway
Photo: Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, Attribution via Wikimedia Commons
The Mountains to Sound Greenway is the 100-mile stretch of Interstate 90 that crosses Snoqualmie Pass in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State. This route from Seattle to Ellensburg was the first interstate designated as a National Scenic Byway. It is Seattle's most accessible and popular connection to mountain scenery and recreation.
UnderstandTrails have existed over Snoqualmie Pass for centuries, as it was well-known to the Native Americans living in the Snoqualmie and Yakima valleys.
PrepareDriving is the best way to experience this itinerary. You can access most points of interest between Seattle and North Bend via local buses, but once in the mountains, public transit is sparse and does not make stops.
Get inSeattle is the western terminus of this itinerary. There are many ways to get into Seattle, and they all apply here. Many of them even use this route!
DriveThis itinerary is written from Seattle eastward. You can of course start in Ellensburg and proceed the other direction.
Stay safeThe Cascades are habitat for black bears. There have been fewer than a dozen bear attacks in Washington in the last century, but hikers need to know about bear safety. Ask a park ranger for local advice.
Go nextTo make this a round trip, take a different highway back across the Cascades:
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Mountains to Sound Greenway" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, Attribution via Wikimedia Commons