US101 in Washington

The official northern end of US101 is in Olympia, the state capital, at its junction with Interstate 5 which provides access to the State Capitol and the downtown area.  The Capitol Campus and the State Capital Museum offer many opportunities to learn something of the state's history and its current political and legislative activities.  The highway runs south to north through the first of its many scenic stretches passing through Thurston, Mason and Jefferson Counties to begin a loop around the Olympic Peninsula.

	Before the highway turns to the west it provides access to the Quimper Peninsula and its collection of state parks.  The attractive and historic town of Port Townsend and Point Wilson Lighthouse are at the northern tip of the peninsula.  There is also a ferry service that operates between Port Townsend and Whidbey Island, north of Seattle.
Kite flying at Long Beach on Washington's southern coast

Along its east to west section on the north end of the peninsula, the highway lies parallel to the shoreline on the Strait of Juan de Fuca and passes through the port city of Port Angeles, which offers ferry service across the strait to Victoria in British Columbia.  The highway leaves the shore area west of Port Angeles at the junction of WA112, which continues along the shoreline and has been designated a National Scenic Byway.

US 101 circles the Olympic Peninsula and passes through the Olympic National Park and the Olympic National Forest in the north and runs parallel to the Pacific coast in its southern section.  The park headquarters and its main visitors center are south of Port Angeles, but other entrances are available at other points along US101.  The Evergreen State presents some spectacular scenery along this highway.  Many opportunities for camping and related outdoor activities are available along the highway.  The Bureau of Land Management also has a selection of locations for wildlife viewing and other outdoor activities.  Travelers with a preference for other lodging  will find a good selection in the towns and cities.

The Olympic Coast Marine National Sanctuary lies along the northern Washington coast and is home to an abundance of marine life and seabirds.

US101 turns to the south after passing Sappho where there is a connecting road to WA112, Clallam Bay, Neah Bay and Cape Flattery.

This scenic highway running parallel to Washington's Pacific Coast is sparsely populated with only a few small towns along the way except for the Hoquiam-Aberdeen area.  There is only a small section of US101 that is close to the coast, but there are several connecting routes that provide access to scenic and recreational opportunities the coast offers in the many state parks located there.

The highway crosses the Columbia River over the Astoria-Megler Bridge into Astoria in Oregon where US101 is also knows as the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway.

Parts of the new Lewis and Clark National Historical Park are in Washington and Oregon and in close proximity to the bridge. 

TravelData21 recommends that you check road conditions on the Washington State Department of Transportation web site.  The state Tourism Division and the Parks and Recreation Commission have web sites that are well worth visiting for tourist and travel information.  Other links are provided at appropriate points in this highway log. 

The National Weather Service has an excellent interactive map that is a recommended source for weather conditions and forecasts.

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