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This guided ride takes us from Sound Harley-Davidson to one of the most jaw-dropping viewpoints in the state. It’s a day full of lakes, forests, mountain air, and  big alpine views.

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**This ride is not recommended for novice or casual riders.** You must be able to control your machine in the friction zone and stay within your lane. There are no guardrails.  However, the road surface is very smooth and engineered well.

 

Remember to bring along a picnic lunch and water.

We’ll leave Sound Harley-Davidson and head south to 152nd Street, then follow 67th Ave NE to 204th St NE where we hop onto Highway 9 north. Highway 9 is one of those classic Northwest backroads — easy pace, pretty scenery, and a chance to settle into the ride as we pass Lake McMurray, Big Lake, and Clear Lake.   Our first comfort stop is in Sedro-Woolley at Bingham RV Park. Stretch, hydrate, chat, adjust layers — whatever you need.

Back on the road, we continue through Wickersham, Acme, and Van Zandt before turning onto WA-542, the Mount Baker Highway. This is where the scenery starts to level up.  We’ll stop again at the Ranger Station in Glacier. If you want to avoid any chance of a parking ticket up top, this is the place to grab a National Parks day pass. They’ve also got National Park patches, pins, and a clean restroom — all the essentials.

After Glacier, the elevation kicks up fast. Watch for the Road Captain to signal for single file as the road narrows. This stretch includes six of the nine continuously uphill 180-degree turns, so take your time and ride your ride.  We’ll pull over at Highwood Lake for a photo stop with Mount Shuksan. If the water is calm, you might catch that perfect mirror reflection everyone hopes for.

The final push to the Artist Point parking area includes the last three uphill 180s.   Many riders find that a steady throttle with a touch of rear brake works well here to keep your line smooth. Follow the Road Captain’s lead for group parking if space allows.  Once we’re parked, you’ll have about 30 minutes to wander, take photos, and soak in the views. There will be snow around — because it’s Artist Point — but the parking area will be clear.

When we regroup, we’ll head down to the Austin Pass picnic area for lunch. There are tables in full sun and in shade, plus a pit toilet nearby.  After lunch, we’ll continue down the mountain for a final comfort stop in Van Zandt. From there, we follow Highway 9 south through Arlington and return to Sound Harley-Davidson — tired and happy.

 

Total Miles: 199 ~~ Total time 7 hrs 44 min 

Seat time - 5h 4m,  Breaks & Lunch 2hrs 40min

 

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