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Not-to-Miss Fall Road Trips

5 Great Drives for Fall Road Trip Enthusiasts

Cooler weather is on the horizon, but that doesn’t mean an end to road-trip adventures. Fall offers an opportunity to capture more dramatic views of the Pacific Northwest natural beauty. The following five road trips across the region are enjoyable year-round and offer great drives for fall road trippers.

THE SETTING SUN ILLUMINATES THE LANDSCAPE SURROUNDING THE OKANOGAN TRAILS SCENIC BYWAY
Okanogan Trails Scenic Byway. By Justin Haug/WDFW.

The Okanogan Trails Scenic Byway

East of the Cascades, where the weather is drier and the sun more reliable, a long stretch of pavement runs north and south along the Okanogan River. The Okanogan Trails Scenic Byway is a picturesque drive around rolling hills, past scrub and sagebrush and through subalpine forests. Passing through the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, the 83-mile route runs from the Canadian border to the small town of Pateros, with each stop full of hidden gems that will leave a lasting impression on those who travel it.

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Cape Perpetua Devils Churn Viewpoint
Cape Perpetua, Devil’s Churn Viewpoint along Highway 101. By Joel Carillet/Getty Images.

Driving/Camping Along the Oregon Coast

Writer Brian J. Cantwell and his wife share their experience touring park campgrounds along Oregon’s sublime shoreline during shoulder season — the slower period between the peak summer months and the winter off-season. The couple mapped out almost 350 miles tailor-made for a camping road trip, with more than 60 state park viewpoints, picnic sites or beach pullouts along the Highway 101 corridor, plus 16 state park campgrounds. 

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Priest Lake
Priest Lake. By Getty Images

Idaho Panhandle Loop Auto Tour

This auto tour through the Idaho Panhandle covers 220 miles and takes five to six hours to drive without stops. The trek heads north from Spokane along U.S. 2 before turning east into the Gem State, then strikes north to Priest Lake on state Highway 57. Upon returning to Priest River, the tour continues east to Sandpoint on the shore of Lake Pend Oreille. After a scenic side trip to Schweitzer Mountain and/or the Pend Oreille Scenic Byway, the tour turns south on U.S. 95 to Coeur d’Alene and then west to close the loop in Spokane.

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Anacortes
Anacorates. By iStock

Skagit Flats–Fidalgo Loop

This Skagit Flats–Fidalgo Loop auto tour traces a 74-mile, counter-clockwise itinerary through the western portion of the county, offering an introduction to the natural variety that makes Skagit Valley such a marvel. From the bustling cities of Mount Vernon and Burlington along the Interstate 5 corridor, the route strikes west to the shores of Padilla Bay, circles Fidalgo Island through the port city of Anacortes, and passes the scenic Deception Pass State Park. Returning to the mainland, it traverses the Skagit Flats, a fertile agricultural district that dazzles with colorful floral displays every spring.

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Mount Pilchuck State Park-Washington-credit-JeffGoulden-iStock
Mount Pilchuck State Park. By JeffGoulden/iStock

Mountain Loop Highway

The Mountain Loop Highway is best in late summer or early fall. You can complete this road trip in a day, or break it up into three or four days to take full advantage of the outdoor activities and the breathtaking fall views along the way.

The official scenic byway starts in Granite Falls and ends in Darrington. To make it a 95-mile loop, start in historic Arlington, follow Jordan Road along the Stillaguamish River to Granite Falls, then take the roundabout to state Highway 92 East and turn left onto the Mountain Loop Highway. The drive officially ends in Darrington, but continue to Arlington to complete the loop. Before you go, make sure the Barlow Pass is open. 

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–Top image of a overlook near Sandpoint, Idaho. By Visit Idaho.

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