Road to Mount Baker’s Artist Point reopens for summer 2024

SEATTLE – The road to Artist Point reopened for the summer Friday morning, giving drivers access to the popular and scenic location in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, about three hours northeast of Seattle.

This year’s opening is on the early side for this stretch of the Mount Baker Highway, also known as Highway 542. Opening dates typically fall in July, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation, and this year’s is one week earlier than last year’s.

Each winter, WSDOT closes the final 2.7 miles of the narrow, winding road with steep slopes to vehicle traffic at milepost 55, after the Heather Meadows Visitor Center.

Crews were completing a final bit of work on the highway this week, using equipment to clear snow from the parking lot, WSDOT said on X. Crews in the last several weeks cut through the 30 feet of snow covering the road.

“Removing this snow requires repetitive, challenging, bumpy and skilled maneuvering of the bulldozer and snowblower,” WSDOT said online.

The area remained open for backcountry recreationalists.

More than 650 drivers each day are expected to make the trip up Artist Point to hike, camp and recreate over the summer, WSDOT said. Travelers should still expect WSDOT maintenance and U.S. Forest Service crews along the highway as they complete road repairs and install signs. Services at Artist Point, such as restrooms and garbage disposals, are limited.