Home

 

 

 

Chuckanut Drive

Information

Mile by Mile

 

NWP-Logo-R-V62.jpg

 

Visitor Information about

Chuckanut Drive Mile by Mile

In northwest Washington State

 

 

 

Nearby Cities

Bellingham

   Fairhaven

Burlington

Mount Vernon

 

San Juan Islands

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WA-Counties01-whatcom-Skagit.jpgChuckanut Drive is classified as State Route-11 by Washington State and symbolized as WA-11 on this web site so you know what state it is in.

 

Chuckanut Drive starts in Bellingham, WA, Whatcom County (shown in red on the map to the left), and travels south along Bellingham and Samish Bays into Skagit County (shown in yellow on the map).  The drive is actually on the side of the Chuckanut Mountains and follows the shoreline a couple hundred feet above sea level.  This height gives spectacular views of the bays, the San Juan Islands, and the coastal mountains to the west on Vancouver Island and the Olympic Peninsula.  Chuckanut Drive is a loop off of Interstate-5 that begins at Exit 250 in Bellingham and ends at Exit 231 in Burlington.

 

 

 

 

Chuckanut Drive mile by mile

State Route-11 (WA-11 on this site)

Load Limit = 18,000 pounds

 

Mile 21

Interstate-5 Exit 250 – Old Fairhaven Parkway

We go north to south on this site but the State of Washington numbers from south to north so mile 21 is the north end of Chuckanut Drive.

 

Head west from the exit on Old Fairhaven Parkway.

 

Interstate-5

 

Mile 20

1-Photo05-Fairhaven.jpgRotary Park – Interurban Trailhead & Parking lot.

This trailhead park and parking lot on the south side of Old Fairhaven Parkway gives access to the Interurban trail that goes from here to mile 14 at Larrabee State Park.

 

Light at 12th Street and Old Fairhaven Parkway.

 

Turn right to go to downtown Fairhaven

Turn left to continue down Chuckanut Drive

 

At this light you are actually in south Fairhaven.  After you turn south you will see Fairhaven Middle School to the right and beyond the school is the Edgemoor District of Bellingham.  Edgemoor is full of upscale homes.

 

 

Mile 19

1-Photo06-bridge.jpgAs you enter mile 19 you will first cross over the Padden Creek Bridge shown to the right.  It is just south of the light at 12th and Old Fairhaven Parkway.

 

As you turn left at the end of the bridge the Fairhaven Park Rose Garden will be on your left and a block further south you will come to the main entrance of Fairhaven Park.  The park has a children’s water park, picnic facilities and trails.

 

The road heads inland a bit to go around Chuckanut Bay.

 

Mile 18

 

1-Photo03-Gallery.jpgJunction with the Old Samish Road that parallels Interstate-5 to the north end of Lake Samish.

 

On the west side of the road you will see a grey building that houses Chuckanut Gallery.  They have two different galleries and an outdoor garden filled with art.

Mile 17

Mile 16

Mile 15

 

Chuckanut Bay is a bay along the shore of the Chuckanut Mountains at the south end of Bellingham Bay.  It is that portion of the bay that lies between Clark’s Point and Governor Point. 

 

The hills behind this bay are lined with private residences both below and above Chuckanut Drive which is at about the 200 foot level above the bay.

 

In mile 15 the road heads a little inland as it passes the Governors Point peninsula.

 

Mile 14

The roadway comes back in sight of the bay.

 

Larrabee State Park – The first State Park in Washington State.  This 2683 acre camping park has 8100 feet of salt water shoreline.  They have 51 tent sites, 26 RV sites with utilities, 8 primitive sites, trails, lakes, and an RV dump station.

Visit the Park's web site.

 

Mile 13

Clayton Beach – there is parking and a trail to the beach.  This beach is famous for its sandy beach and sunbathers with little or no clothing.

 

Mile 12

 

1-Photo09-viewpoint.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

Paved view point with historic marker and picnic tables.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mile 11

There are several pull outs along this curvy portion of the road.

 

Mile 10

1-Photo08-OysterBar.jpgYou will find Oyster Creek with a curved concrete bridge over it.  There is a building on the creek by the bridge that used to house a restaurant.

 

Further south at the top of a gentle hill out of the Oyster Creek valley is another lodge-like building right on the edge of the road.  If the famous Oyster Bar restaurant is open you will find many cars parked along the side of the road.  The restaurant has view windows with wonderful views of the Samish Bay, the San Juan Islands and the coastal mountains to the west.

 

 

Mile 9

Mile 8

At the south end of the mountainous section of the highway you come upon Chuckanut Manor.  If this famous seafood restaurant and bed & breakfast is open the parking lot will be full of cars.  They have breathtaking views of the San Juan Islands.

 

Just south of Chuckanut manor you will go over a bridge that crossover the tracks of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad onto the flatlands of the Skagit River Valley.

 

South of the bridge you will find a Japanese Garden and restaurant.  Seasonally there is an organic produce stands.

 

Mile 7

Intersection with the Bow Hill Road.

 

At the intersection you will find the very popular Rhododendron Café.  You will also find an antique shop, a mini-mart gas station, and west of the intersection the Edison Post Office.

 

East of the intersection you will find the Village of Bow and an organic blueberry farm and cheese outlet.  In 1.5 miles you will cross over the BNSF tracks and start up the hill.  If you go 3.7 miles east on the Bow Hill Road you will find yourself at Interstate-5 Exit 236.

 

If you go west on Bow Hill Road for one mile you will find the Village of Edison.  There are two great taverns in Edison that are famous for their food.

 

Mile 6

Mile 5

Mile 4

Mile 3

 

On this portion of Chuckanut Drive you travel through the Skagit Valley farmlands.  You will see the houses, barns, and outbuildings of the typical local farm.

Mile 2

Mile 1

Junction with Allen West Road and the Village of Allen

 

Allen – Antique shop, grocery store, espresso stand and seasonal produce market.

 

The highway goes through Skagit Valley farmlands in this area.

 

Mile 0

Interstate-5 Exit 230 – Chuckanut Drive / Burlington

 

Interstate-5

 

 

 

A warning for drivers:  Chuckanut Drive is heavily used by bicyclists.  Be careful on curves that you slow enough to be able to stop if there is a cyclist just out of sight around the curve.

 

Best places to cycle:

Mile 20 – Rotary Park – The interurban trail – parallels Chuckanut drive to mile 14

                                            at Larrabee State Park  (no powered vehicles on trail)

 

Mile 18 to 21 – 4-foot bike lanes on both sides of road.

 

Mile14 to 21 – no bike lanes – use Interurban Trail

 

Mile 9 to 14 – no bike lanes

 

Mile 0 to 8 – 3-foot bike lanes on both sides of road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top of Page

info@northwestplaces.com

 

NWP-Logo-oval-V62-small.jpg

 

Update your listing or advertise

on Northwestplaces.com

 

 

© Copyright 2001-2008 Northwestplaces.com all rights reserved

ChuckanutMileByMile.htm