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Archive for the ‘North Cascade Connections’ Category

Lake Cavanaugh in Skagit County, Washington is deep in the heart of the Pacific Northwest logging country. Soon after settlers heeded the words, “Go West” the market for logging products was born. The vast forest products in the Lake Cavanaugh area brought a flurry of activity around the turn of the 20^th century. Logging is still a staple in this rural area of Skagit County, but it is now a popular location for vacation homes.

Frailey Mountain Reflection on Lake Cavanaugh

Lake Cavanaugh is on the northern base of Mount Washington and Frailey Mountain, along the line dividing Skagit and Snohomish counties. Haystack Mountain and many other peaks of the North Cascade foothills surround the lake to the north and east. Lake Cavanaugh Road is the only paved surface bringing the few vacation home owners to this incredibly beautiful area.

Lake Cavanaugh Road joins Washington State Highway 9 just south of the town of Big Lake. The road climbs, dips, swerves, swoops and twists its way between the hills, creeks and rivers that fed the logging boon of years ago. The scenic beauty of this terrain brings a tranquil peace to the pounding of your heart that come from enjoying the road on a motorcycle.

I’ve never counted the number of corners on this 15-mile stretch of Pacific Northwest motorcycling bliss. The leaning of the motorcycle, surrounding views and ample wildlife keeps my brain cells far to busy to track such things.

This is a common sight on Lake Cavanaugh Road.

Lake Cavanaugh Road quickly transports you from the Skagit Valley farm fields to the backwoods of the Cascade foothills. As the elevation climbs from 150 feet at Hwy. 9 to roughly 1,000 feet the moss-covered trees tighten their grip on the prime pavement seemingly made for motorcycles. Eventually, the road comes to a “Y’ where North Shore Drive and South Shore Drive circumnavigate the tranquil waters of the 844-acre Lake Cavanaugh. The lake is only 80-feet deep, but the reflections of the surrounding mountains will reach much deeper into your soul than that.

If you’re on a motorcycle with limited ground clearance then wrapping around the lake and back down Lake Cavanaugh Road is you only real routing option. About seven miles west of the lake is Granstrom Road, which leads back to Highway 9. Granstrom Road offers more tree-lined pavement with more than enough twists to keep your attention.

Even on the few straight stretches, the tree-lined view is beautiful.

If you’re on a dual sport or adventure motorcycle, then options abound for exploring dirt roads and single track trails in this area. For true dual sport riders, you passed by at least a couple entry points to Walker Valley Off-Highway Vehicle area along the north side of Lake Cavanaugh Road. There are enough gnarly single track trails at Walker Valley to entertain you for several days.

For riders of larger adventure touring motorcycles, there are other options. Leaving from the southeast part of the lake is Deer Creek – Lake Cavanaugh Road. This six mile stretch of dirt road is a hoot. On the southern face of Frailey Mountain the views from the road are incredible. The North Fork Stillaguamish River cuts a narrow valley that reaches out to the Puget Sound. Immediately south of the river is Ebey Hill, Wheeler Mountain and increasingly more rugged mountains to the east. The road drops down the mountain and connects with Highway 530 near the hamlet of Oso, between Arlington and Darrington. From this intersection you need to decide if you’re heading toward the sunrise or the sunset. Heading west will end your ride a bit sooner, but no worries as this route will be memorable nonetheless.

Connect this route to others nearby for a truly memorable and adventurous motorcycle ride:

• Finney Creek Road, over the hill we go
• Cascading views along Washington’s Mountain Loop Highway
• Skirting the North Cascades Highway
• Bucolic Mosquito Lake Road

Please post your comments below about this route and others in the area. The more we share, the more adventure there is to be had by all.

Skagit and Whatcom counties border Canada to the north, North Cascade Mountains to the east, and Puget Sound with the San Juan Islands— viewable from coastal roads — to the west. This makes the area particularly scenic.

The corners are inviting on Mosquito Lake Road. This corner had a sharp decreasing radius with and "S" hidden behind the trees.

There are several roads that every motorcyclist and sports car driver know about in the region. Some of the roads are nationally renowned. The North Cascades Highway crosses the “American Alps” with fantastic views of peaks and glacial-fed lakes (some natural others created by dams). Chuckanut Drive (State Route 11) connects Skagit and Whatcom counties along a very scenic coastal drive that further established the city of Bellingham as a supply point for Canada’s Fraser River Valley. State Highway 9 also passes through both counties and is well known to area motorcycle and car enthusiasts.  Highway 9 is great for those seeking an escape along the rural beauty of the area with curves that reach into your soul like a good blues guitar, evoking exhilaration when well-executed and disappointment when perfection is not attained.

There are many other fantastic routes in the Northern Puget Sound region. To find them, you need to talk with locals. As a local, I’ll share one of the many hidden gems.

A simple corner on Mosquito Lake Road

Mosquito Lake Road is a short off-shoot of Washington State Highway 9. Mosquito Lake Road is on the north side of the town of Acme. It connects with Highway 9 on the north side of the bridge that crosses the South Fork of the Nooksack River. This is a popular swimming and fishing area. The crisp water slices a shallow swath making it a refreshing place to take a dip on hot summer days.

Mosquito Lake  Road is 15 miles of bliss along the middle fork of the Nooksack River from Acme to Welcome. The Road has numerous technical corners that will send you wide if you’re not careful. It is the technical nature and dips in the pavement along some of these corners that makes the route so enjoyable. At least for motorcyclists who seek opportunities to test their cornering finesse. After caressing the shores of Josephine Lake and Mosquito Lake the road crosses the middle fork of the Nooksack River.

The recently refurbished Nooksack River bridge.

The recently rehabilitated bridge is listed on the National Register of Historical Places as the longest pin-connected highway bridge in the state (according to Jared Paben in the Bellingham Herald’s April 20, 2011 article “Whatcom County receives national award for Mosquito Lake Road bridge project). The bridge was built in 1915 and in 1951 it was disassembled and moved 30 miles to its current location. It is a beautiful bridge expanse that will evoke your inner photographer. A river access point under the bridge provides a good viewing point away from traffic.

Beyond the bridge the corners widen as they meander through the mountain valley. The bucolic views of mountains and small pastures continue six miles until Mosquito Lake Road terminates at the Mt Baker Highway (State Highway 542) at the foot of Sumas Mountain. The road makes a rather abrupt turn as it approaches the railroad tracks near Hwy 542. Don’t let the views pull your attention from the road in this area.

Mosquito Lake Road is a particularly exhilarating stretch a pavement that avoids one of the boring straight stretches of State Highway 9. It is a good alternative to the larger road with less traffic. Since Mosquito Lake Road connects Highway 9 with The Mt Baker Highway (State Highway 542) it is also a fantastic route to such places as Artist Point to enjoy the incredible scenery of Mt Baker and the North Cascades Mountain Range.

Trees line FS38 creating a tunnel. One of the changing environments on the road that causes one to slow down to enjoy the sights.

If you are particularly adventurous, a jaunt down Forest Service Road (FR) 38 will satiate the dirt explorer in you. The forest service road is not marked particularly well from Mosquito Lake Road. It is the road that juts out sharply from the the main road near the gravel pit. FS38 quickly passes the rather unseemly gravel pit and rises up the canyon above the middle fork of the Nooksack River. The road travels approximately 10 miles into the Mt Baker Wilderness.

Trees line the road and sometimes even cover it as if creating a tunnel through the forest. The tall trees don’t allow much plant growth on the forest floor. This provides a fairly deep view into the surrounding woods from the road as you ride. Slowing down may allow you the opportunity to catch a glimpse of wildlife. Slowing will also allow you to catch the wheels devouring pot holes that are found throughout the length of the road. After the tunnel of trees, the road comes to a “Y” intersection. Take the high road to remain on FS38.

At times the road meets with the steep drop offs and the trees fade away to allow decent views of the river valley. To the southwest both the North Twin and South Twin of Sisters Mountain can be seen.

There are many camping spots to be found along FS38. Many are single spots that require a tight turn around down a trail if they’re already occupied. This is a good location for motorcycle camping. Fishing in the numerous creeks and Nooksack River could even provide the evenings meal.

A logging road trail for the FS38 side route. This trail connects with FS38 near the Ridley Creek trailhead. High clearance needed.

The road passes a few trickling falls. Wallace Creek provides a particularly pretty falls under a bridge. There is a good spot to pull over past the bridge. The bridge is on a “S” section of the road. Be ready for 4×4 traffic to buzz by. It is a fairly remote area, but moderately popular with outdoor enthusiasts.

The road comes to a dead end at the Ridley Creek trailhead. For riders on dual sport motorcycles, there is a trail near the deadend that shoots up the hill. The trail winds its way near Marmot Ridge. This trail is plenty wide for small 4×4 with short wheelbases and is perfect for dual sport motorcycles. My V-Strom handles the moderate “whoops” with ease. The heavy bike was a bit of a pig to turn around when I came to a couple camping on a corner of the trail figuring no one else would be able to make it up to this point. The ability of single-track vehicles can sometimes astound Jeepers.

At the bottom of each whoop is evidence of water flow. Be aware that in the spring and early summer there is likely a good amount of mud from the snow melt.

Click this map to get full route details. This is a rough guide to the route. Please use a legitimate map to reduce your own personal risk.