Sierra Cascades #1 maps 5-6, Washington Parks #2 maps 27-26 - SR 20 closed. 8/23

[mmoser]

State Highway 20 is indefinitely closed from milepost 120 in Newhalem to milepost 156 just west of Rainy Pass, located 45 miles west of Winthrop, due to the Sourdough wildfire.  Unfortunately this means you need to find a detour as there are no alternates nearby. You can take the Pacific Coast route (https://www.adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps/adventure-cycling-route-network/pacific-coast/) to get to an alternate route over the Cascade mountains - Either going into Canada, using Route 2 (which can be very busy with sometimes limited shoulders), or use the Snowqualmie Valley Trial and Palouse to Cascades Trail (gravel rail trails) to go over Snoqualmie Pass. The Palouse to Cascades Trail has a 2+ mile long tunnel at the pass so you really need a headlight to transit.

If you take Pacific Coast Bicycle Route to Bremerton Ferry, here is a potential route from the Seattle Ferry terminal to Ellensburg using the gravel rail trails: https://goo.gl/maps/XVsGJxti5iBegDJG8

If you find alternate routes you like, post here for other riders to see!

Here is where to find updates on the fire and the highway closure: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/warlp-sourdough-fire#sourdough-fire-smoke-outlook-august-6,-2023-141508