Travel & Tourism

Mount Baker Highway leading to Artist Point reopens after snow season, WSDOT says

Cars drive on Mount Baker Highway leading up to Artist Point in Whatcom County, Wash.
Cars drive on Mount Baker Highway leading up to Artist Point in Whatcom County, Wash. The Bellingham Herald

The road leading to Artist Point, which is the last 2.7-mile stretch of State Route 542 on Mount Baker Highway, reopened Wednesday morning for vehicles.

The road, located above the Mount Baker Ski Area, is closed annually during the winter to keep travelers safe from heavy snow and then reopens in the summer. Crew members worked to remove snow and perform routine maintenance after Memorial Day Weekend before reopening the highway, according to a press release from the Washington State Department of Transportation.

People generally use the road to go hiking or sightseeing at Artist Point, a popular trail head.

State Route 542 remains closed between Britton and Noon roads for the Squalicum Creek to Bellingham Bay fish passage project. Drivers should give themselves extra time to travel, the release said.

This story was originally published June 28, 2023 at 7:45 AM.

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Puneet Bsanti
The Bellingham Herald
Puneet Bsanti graduated from Washington State University in May 2023 as an English and multimedia journalism double-major. She is currently a reporting intern for the Bellingham Herald. Support my work with a digital subscription
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