Seasonal conditions
Pass runs May–October without chains reliably; Tumwater Canyon is spectacular in October color. Winter crossing requires chains and daylight.
ROUTE
Stevens Pass on US-2: Skykomish to Leavenworth
The Cascade crossing on US-2: 83 km from Skykomish’s rail yards over the 1,238-metre summit and down Tumwater Canyon into Bavarian Leavenworth.
scenic-road83 km2.7 hmoderate
SounderBruce / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
ABOUT THIS ROUTE
The route in detail
US-2 crosses the Cascades the way railroads used to: steadily, theatrically, with a payoff at the top. From Skykomish the highway follows the Skykomish River’s rapids to the summit of Stevens Pass at 1,238 metres, ski runs and the Great Northern’s old snowsheds marking the crest. Then Tumwater Canyon drops away — a tight, roaring gorge of switchbacks and whitewater — before the valley opens into Wenatchee River orchard country and Bavarian-themed Leavenworth, where every ride should end with a beer garden. This is Washington’s essential mountain pass: one summit, one canyon, and two entirely different worlds on either side.
US-2 crosses the Cascades the way railroads used to: steadily, theatrically, with a payoff at the top. From Skykomish the highway follows the Skykomish River’s rapids to the summit of Stevens Pass at 1,238 metres, ski runs and the Great Northern’s old snowsheds marking the crest. Then Tumwater Canyon drops away — a tight, roaring gorge of switchbacks and whitewater — before the valley opens into Wenatchee River orchard country and Bavarian-themed Leavenworth, where every ride should end with a beer garden. This is Washington’s essential mountain pass: one summit, one canyon, and two entirely different worlds on either side.
PLAN RESPONSIBLY
Season & safety
Key hazards
- Switchbacks and drop-offs through Tumwater Canyon — brake discipline on the descent.
- Rockfall after storms in the canyon; ride the centerline away from the walls.
- Heavy ski and tourist traffic on winter and summer weekends.
Required gear
- Certified motorcycle helmet and full protective riding gear.
- Warm layer for the 1,238-metre summit — it can be 10°C cooler than Leavenworth.
WAYPOINTS
Route points
- 01
Stevens Pass summit, 1,238 m
waypoint
MAP & ROUTE
On the atlas
Elevation1,244 m high point284 m low point1,250 m total climbing16% steepest stretch (km 25.5)
INTERESTS
Why riders & travellers love it
WEATHER
Weather along the route
Forecast data from Open-Meteo. Updated regularly.
REGIONS
Explore the region
KEEP EXPLORING
The atlas continues
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