The Mt. Baker Highway (Hwy. 542) scenic drive begins just
east of the Interstate 5, Bellingham, Washington, Sunset
Drive Exit 255. Take Sunset Drive east. As you leave
Bellingham, it becomes the Mt. Baker Highway, traveling
northeast.

The first part of the highway takes travelers through the
small, local communities of Nugent's Corner, Deming,
Welcome, Maple Falls, and Glacier, Washington. As you
approach Nugent's Corner, you reach the first highway
crossing of the Nooksack River. Just before the Nooksack
River bridge is the turnoff to the left for the Deming
Logging Show Grounds, on Cedarville Road.

The log show grounds are home to the annual Deming
Logging Show, celebrating the history of the local timber
industry, as well as a number of other yearly events,
including an Oktoberfest celebration and a New Year's
Eve party. And one of the best things about the Deming
Logging Show grounds for RV Trekkers is that it has
space for 400 dry camping RVs - one of the largest facilities
of its kind in Whatcom County.

Crossing the river and continuing north, next stop is
Deming, Washington. This tiny, rural community is home
to the Nooksack Indian Tribe's reservation, which includes
a casino.
Across the street from the casino, another nifty stop is the
Deming Library. This small, charming library has a pull-
through driveway and room to stop, park and picnic, as
well as browse the library, which includes a special Native
American collection. Visitors can use the library's
computers to log on to the Internet and check e-mail, and
temporary library cards are also available from the Whatcom
County library system. The library system also has libraries
farther up the highway at Maple Falls and Glacier.

Just past Deming is the junction for Highway 9 (click here
for our Highway 9 scenic drive). Just east of the Mt. Baker
Highway, a short side-trip on Highway 9 crosses the North
Fork of the Nooksack River to the small community of Van
Zandt, where the best stop is the fascinating Everybody's
Store. - a small, rural grocery store with a distinctive
gourmet flair.

Continuing on the Mt. Baker Highway, just past the
Highway 9 junction, you can turn right (east) on Truck Road,
for a side-trip to an eagle preserve at Deming Homestead
Eagle Park.

Welcome is the next stop along the highway. You can also
reach the Nooksack River from this small community by
taking the Mosquito Lake Road southeast to the north fork
of the river.

is located at milepost 33,
another stop for info.

At Glacier Creek Road you can also take a 9-mile side trip
for more Mt. Baker views, including the Coleman Glacier
on the mountain's west side. Just after Glacier Creek Road,
just before milepost 36, is the entrance to the Douglas Fir
Campground, part of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National
Forest system, with 30 sites, where you can camp and hike
the Horseshoe Trail.

Another five miles up the highway from this campground are
the spectacular Nooksack Falls, at the Wells Creek Road
junction. Thirteen miles past Glacier is the last site for RV
camping, Silver Fir Campground - another Forest System
facility.

The road becomes more winding, with few side turnoffs the
farther up you go, with dramatic views as the highway clings
to the edge of the mountain. If you have a large rig, it may
be a better plan to park the RV at a campground and take
your auxiliary vehicle the rest of the way up the mountain.
And remember, even though the road is well-maintained,
there's a good chance you'll need winter traction tires, and
possibly chains or studded tires, during the late fall and
winter months.

As you approach the stops for Heather Meadows, Picture
Lake, and the Mt. Baker Ski Area, you'll also pass an old
growth timber reserve.

The ski area, 55 miles up the highway, is the final stop for
many looking for world-class skiing and snowboarding. If
you don't have your own equipment rent some and take a
lesson, or chill out in the lodge.

If you want to make the whole drive, it's just another mile to
the Austin Pass picnic area and visitor's center, and another
two miles after that, to Artist Point, the final stop on the Mt.
Baker Highway. Above the timber line, at an elevation of
5,140 feet, it's worth the drive to get the view.

Photos: Upper left, Mt. Baker from Boulder Creek.
Lower right, Mt. Baker Highway north of Glacier.

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