Washington State Route 530 ‘Pioneer Highway’

Pioneer Highway. A nice curvy specimen of roadcraft and an apt name as well, since the road curves here and there all over the Stillaguamish River valley. The pavement is a little rough and appears to be surprisingly light-duty for what is a state highway, after all. There’s significant bumps along the road and small… Continue reading Washington State Route 530 ‘Pioneer Highway’

Oregon State Route 53

Everyone that’s persevered sufficiently to read much of my writing knows that I’ve got a thing for old roads. New roads are fun and they’re fast, but they don’t satisfy me unless they have a bit of history behind them. This one doesn’t sound spectacular, but it’s a great little road that usually gets you… Continue reading Oregon State Route 53

Cloquallum Road (Shelton – Elma, WA)

This a classic forest road in the rural backwoods of Western Washington. Nestled within the glacial river valleys that once drained Puget Sound down to Grays Harbor, this road is bracketed throughout its entire 24 mile length by ridges, ponds and hillsides. Just as you would expect from geography and location, the road is tree-lined… Continue reading Cloquallum Road (Shelton – Elma, WA)

Mount Idaho Grade Road (Grangeville, Idaho)

This is another member of the Grangeville Gang. And no, this road is not named after a mountain, at least not directly, but after a town that at one time was more important than Grangeville. This road is very sparsely travelled as Mount Idaho isn’t exactly a bustling metropolis. The road has a few new… Continue reading Mount Idaho Grade Road (Grangeville, Idaho)