Wikipedia: Maryhill Loops Road

The Maryhill Loops Road was an experimental road in south central Washington, United States, built by Good Roads promoter Samuel Hill with the help of engineer and landscape architect Samuel C. Lancaster. Laid in 1911 as the first asphalt road in the state, it achieved low grades with horseshoe curves. It was bypassed by the present, straighter U.S. Route 97 after World War II.

The road climbs the Columbia Hills from the Columbia River and Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway to Hill's planned Quaker utopian community at Maryhill, Washington.

The design became the model for the Figure-Eight Loops on the Historic Columbia River Highway in Oregon, designed by Lancaster several years later.

The road is now owned by the Maryhill Museum of Art. Except when rented, it is open to pedestrians and bicycles, but closed to motor vehicle traffic. The Maryhill Museum of Art rents use of the road for private events by automobile, motorcycle, bicycling, and longboarding clubs. The yearly International Downhill Federation World Cup Series downhill longboarding and street luge event is held there.

"Just 0.2 miles past Stonehenge is the unsigned road that leads a half-mile up to the historic "Maryhill Loops" road... Sam Hill built the "loops road" circa 1912 to test out new-fangled road engineering and paving techniques. This wee section of road germinated the seed that eventually bloomed into Oregon's Columbia River Scenic Highway. Sam Hill hosted the entire Oregon legislature out here in 1913 to view this Loops road to spur on the funding of Gorge scenic road. Nowadays this Loops road sits almost-forgotten, except for some annual downhill skateboard speed events. A bike is the best way to visit the road -- a walk is somewhat dull."

Scott Cook, Curious Gorge

In Feb 1913, at Hill's own expense, he brought the entire Oregon Legislature -- 88 men -- out to his Maryhill ranch for a gala event. At this gathering Hill showed-off the experimental roads that he had been building on his ranch with his personally contracted road engineer, Sam Lancaster.

Together they displayed state-of-the-art grading and paving techniques used to construct the "Maryhill Loops." Hill's tenacious boosterism succeeded. Soon thereafter the legislature approved funding for the Columbia River Highway and hired Sam Lancaster to design the project.

"The road is open to the public for non-motorized use from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. most days; admission is free."

Video (By Others...)

CAR IS KING + MARYHILL ARTS FESTIVAL

This appears to be an annual event.

"The historic Maryhill Loops Road, one of the first modern roads in the Northwest, is opened for automobiles only twice a year. This is your chance to take a spin past the beautiful scenery and through the road’s eight hairpin curves. Free on the historic Maryhill Loops Road, located just east of US 97 off of State Route 14."

http://www.maryhillmuseum.org/visit/calendar/special-events/car-is-king-weekend

MARYHILL FESTIVAL OF SPEED

Matt Higgins, Skateboarding Glides Into New Phase

...Maryhill Loops Road, a 2.2-mile squiggle like a strand of wet spaghetti, with more twists and turns than the plot of a Dan Brown novel as it runs toward the Columbia River Gorge.

Permanently closed to vehicular traffic, the road hosted the annual Maryhill Festival of Speed, a prestigious downhill skateboard race that attracted 200 of the world’s best racers. With helmets and leather suits for protection, competitors move at more than 45 miles per hour in packs reminiscent of short-track speedskating, leaving little margin for error.

Higgins, Matt. "Skateboarding Glides Into New Phase." The New York Times. July 21, 2010. Accessed Online December 3, 2015. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/21/sports/21longboard.html?scp=1&sq=maryhill%20loops&st=cse&_r=0

Maryhill Festival of Speed

Spectators - FREE TO THE PUBLIC: Come and watch 250 of the world’s fastest Downhill Skateboarders and Street lugers (from 24 countries) battle it out on the 2.2 mile, 22 corner “world famous” historic Maryhill Loops Road.

Enjoy Spectator Sections: Several areas to see all the hot racing action, great viewing from the Action Sports Festival Area or at the world famous Cowzers corner (5 minute hike), or you can hike (or try to catch the athlete shuttle) to the top or all the hairpin corners in between.

Half Pipe Competitions Watch top athlete battle it out for best trick each day!

Action Sports Exhibits: Looking for the latest action sports equipment, come check out all the vendor booths.

http://www.maryhillfestivalofspeed.com/event-info/spectators

Links

MARYHILL MUSEUM OF ART: MARYHILL LOOPS ROAD

http://www.maryhillmuseum.org/visit/historic-maryhill-loops-road

Maryhill Festival of Speed

http://www.maryhillfestivalofspeed.com

CLICK HERE to continue exploring the highway