Chinook Scenic Byway

The Chinook Scenic Byway (also known as the Mather Memorial Parkway) is possibly the most scenic route crossing the Cascade Mountain Range, and it is the most accessible road for viewing Mount Rainier.

The Chinook Scenic Byway has a uniquely varied landscape. Traveling east, the route climbs through a closed canopy of Douglas fir. At Chinook Pass, the roadway descends dramatically through the Wenatchee National Forest and along the American River. The byway also passes the unique basalt flows of the Columbia Plateau, ending near the fertile agricultural valleys of Yakima County.

Archaeological Qualities of the Chinook Scenic Byway

Even though only about 3.5 percent of the park has been systematically surveyed for archaeological remains, there are 79 known sites in the park, of which 75 have been fully documented and recorded.

One prehistoric site dates between 2,300 and 4,500 years ago. Sites just outside of the park hint at much earlier occupation, perhaps as much as 8,000 years, but most prehistoric archaeological sites are approximately 1,000 years old.

Later, the area was used on a seasonal basis by lowland Native Americans for hunting and gathering and for spiritual and ceremonial events. A few sites were hunting camps, where cedar bark was stripped from trees, rock shelters created, and stone for tools procured.

In more modern centuries, five principal Native American nations (specifically the Nisqually, Puyallup, Muckleshoot, Yakama, and Taidnapam) came to the park in the summer and early fall to hunt and to collect resources. These American Indians continued to come even after the park was officially designated in 1899. Sites that were used by them are littered with broken weapon points.

Sites from European settlements in the late 19th and early 20th centuries confirm mining, recreation, and early park development. Specifically, sites reveal old campsites, trash dumps, collapsed structures, mineshafts, and other debris.

Historical Qualities of the Chinook Scenic Byway

Part of the Chinook Scenic Byway has a unique historic designation -- that of a National Historic Landmark District. This district, called the Mount Rainier National Historic Landmark District, was designated so because it is one of the nation's finest collections of "national park rustic" architecture, both in the park's road system and in its historically developed areas.

In the 1920s, the park developed a plan -- the Master Plan of Mount Rainier National Park -- that is historically significant because it was the first and most complete national park plan developed by the National Park Service Landscape Division.

Chinook Scenic Byway Information
Length: 85 miles
Time to allow: One-and-a-half to two hours
States it runs through: Washington
Cities it runs through: Naches, Cliffdell, Greenwater, Enumclaw
Considerations: The park segment of the Chinook Scenic Byway is typically closed during the winter. Autumn and spring access along the byway is weather dependent.

Natural Qualities of the Chinook Scenic Byway

The Chinook Scenic Byway's wide range of plants and animals live relatively undisturbed and can, therefore,
exist in greater abundance (some 50 species of mammals
and 130 species of birds live here) and can attain greater longevity. For example, some of the highest alpine stands
are up to 1,000 years old.

In addition, extraordinary geological processes have created this magnificent landscape: Rainier's 25 glaciers form the largest single-peak glacier system in the United States
outside of Alaska; the glacier-carved canyon of the Rainier
fork of the American River is geologically rare; and mountain parks (lush subalpine meadows encircling the mountain between 5,000 and 7,000 feet) are without parallel in the Cascades or Pacific volcano system.

Along the byway and in Mount Rainier National Park are four distinct life, or vegetation, zones.

In the lowland forest zone, a canopy of stately giants allows little sunlight to filter down to the forest floor. Deer, hawks, owls, and bald eagles all thrive in these forests.

The montane zone is a bit farther up the mountainside and a little wetter and colder. The delicate and elusive calypso orchid blooms here in the spring, and patches of huckleberry bushes abound. Black bears, which really like huckleberries, are one of this area's large predators, although you'll probably never encounter a black bear.

The subalpine zone is typified by tree "islands" mixed with open meadows. The snow lasts longer among the sheltering trees of this zone. By late July, a rainbow of wildflowers carpets the meadow. A special feature in the subalpine zone are the krummholz, trees that are strikingly twisted and stunted due to the severe winds and snow. Trees only three feet in height may be centuries old.

The last and highest zone is the alpine zone. It is found above the timberline and is a world of extremes. On a summer day, the sun can shine warm and bright, but in just moments clouds can bring a sudden snow or lightning storm. During storms, the wind knifes across the tundra because there are no trees to break up the wind. Consequently, most alpine plants grow to be only a few inches tall.

Recreational Qualities of the Chinook Scenic Byway

The area surrounding the Chinook Scenic Byway is rife with recreational activities. There are great opportunities for fishing, hunting, hiking, biking, and rafting.

Snow sports also abound, given that Mount Rainier and its surrounding area is one of the snowiest places on Earth. Skiing and snowshoeing are the most popular activities.

Find more useful information related to Washington's Chinook Scenic Byway:

  • Washington State Scenic Drives: Chinook Scenic Byway is just one of the scenic byways in Washington. Check out the others.
  • Naches, Mount Rainer, Enumclaw: Find out what to do in these cities along Chinook Scenic Byway.
  • Scenic Drives: Are you interested in scenic drives beyond Washington? Here are more than 100 scenic drives throughout the United States.
  • How to Drive Economically: Fuel economy is a major concern when you're on a driving trip. Learn how to get better gas mileage.