The Historic Yellowstone Trail in Washington: Driving Old Blewett Pass

The Old Blewett Pass Highway became a section of the Yellowstone Trail in 1925. The pass is located between Peshastin on the north end and the junction of US-97 and SR-970 (Lauderdale Junction) at the south end. The 13 mile section of the old highway was a spectacular yet harrowing ride with 248 curves on a narrow roadway as you climb along the side of a mountain to the summit which is 4,061 feet above sea level. Today this section is bypassed by the new highway.

In 1916 the Leavenworth Echo quoted Mrs. Durban who said to a reporter; "The scenery was simply grand, affording many thrills, as the car glides along with one fender almost scraping the bank, which is perpendicular on one side, and the other fender apparently sticking out over a precipice, making one instinctively lean toward the bank and hold your breath."

Jeff Felker, Old Blewett Pass Highway

A 13-mile section of the original highway is maintained by the US Forest Service and is open from April thru September. This remaining section includes the old summit and Echo Point. You can also see much of the old highway as it parallels the new US 97 (some of the old roadway has eroded and fallen into Peshastin Creek). There is an old dismantled bridge at the Blewett town marker site.

The Early Highway

The original highway began as a route for gold miners to follow over the Wenatchee Mountain range back in the 1870's. Initially, it was a series of Indian trails used by miners with pack animals to travel between the mining camps. In 1891, a wagon road was built by the miners connecting the Swauk Mining Camp to the Peshastin Mining Camp. They followed an old Indian trail and used a series of switchbacks to offset the steep grade of the mountain. This was the beginning of the road we know today as "Old Blewett Pass Road". In 1892, the Blewett Mining Co purchased a major interest in the Peshastin Mines and also assumed responsibility for the road. In 1897, a US Geological Survey was preformed to make the first map of the area. They called the wagon road over the Wenatchee Mountain Range "Blewett Pass". In 1922, the cross state Sunset Highway was rerouted over the pass. It was constructed as a 2-lane road with one-lane bridges. At this time, the bridge roadway was concrete and the roads were dirt and gravel. In 1925, the first asphalt was laid over the gravel road. In 1956, the road was realigned through Swauk pass. This marked a change in the name from Blewett Pass to Swauk Pass. The name did not, however, work with the locals as they continued to refer to the pass as Blewett Pass. In 1992, the WSDOT changed the name back to Blewett Pass.

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In 1924, the Wenatchee Daily World reported that the final stretch of the Blewett Pass Hwy was finished and open to traffic.

The Sunset Highway

The Sunset Highway was the main East-West route from Seattle to Spokane in the early 1920's. The road went from Lake Washington thru Renton and North Bend, over Snoqualmie Pass (on the old switchback road between Denny Creek and the summit), thru Cle Elum and over Blewett to Wenatchee. From there, it connected to Spokane. Initially, the highway was known as State Rd #7 from 1914 to 1920. In 1923, the name was changed to Primary State Hwy #2. In 1925, it was changed to US Highway 10. These frequent changes were responsible for much confusion about the name of the highway.

Timeline

• 1912 Sunset Hwy construction begins

• 1915 Sunset Hwy section between Seattle and Ellensburg opened

• 1922 Sunset Hwy rerouted over Blewett Pass

• 1924 Blewett Pass Hwy section completed

• 1925 Blewett Pass Hwy paved

• 1956 Blewett Pass Hwy realigned and rebuilt thru Swauk Pass (current US 97)

• 1991 Blewett Pass renamed Swauk Pass by WSDOT

• 1992 Swauk Pass changed back to Blewett Pass by State and Federal Boards

1920

Washington State Archives, July 16, 2020

Automobiles began crossing the Old Blewett Pass Highway in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest not many years before these photos were taken 100 years ago in 1920. Grades were STEEP and turns were SHARP through the rugged, mountainous terrain.

2022

WIKIPEDIA: Blewett Pass

Blewett Pass at an elevation of 4,124 feet (1,257 m), is a mountain pass in the Wenatchee Mountains (an eastward extension of the Cascades) of Washington state that is crossed by U.S. Route 97 (US 97). Named for Edward Blewett, a Seattle mining promoter of the 1880s, it lies on the route of the historical Yellowstone Trail.

Unlike the many well known passes that lie on the spine of the Cascades, Blewett Pass lies on the divide between the Wenatchee River to the north and the Yakima River to the south. The highway over the pass connects Interstate 90 (I-90) between Seattle and Ellensburg, Washington with US 2 between Monroe and Wenatchee. The route from Seattle to Wenatchee over Snoqualmie Pass and Blewett Pass is a reasonable alternative to the more northerly route over Stevens Pass.

What is now called Blewett Pass was formerly known as Swauk Pass. It should not be confused with Old Blewett Pass, which is about 5 miles (8.0 km) west of the current summit at the slightly lower elevation of 4,064 feet (1,239 m). Swauk was renamed to Blewett Pass in the 1960s after the completion of a new highway alignment for US 97, with locals preferring to keep the old name. The old pass road is Forest Road 9715 and Forest Road 7320. The road closes for the winter so that seasonal recreation may take place. One should inquire about conditions with a Wenatchee National Forest office before driving the road upon re-opening in the warmer months.

Video (By Others...)

Links

Jeff Felker, Old Blewett Pass Highway

https://oldblewett.blogspot.com

Velominati.com: OLD BLEWETT PASS

I rode over Old Blewett Pass, which used to connect the Washington towns of Leavenworth and Cle Elum. Old Blewett Pass was decommissioned in the 1950s and a new road (US 97) was built through Swauk Pass — now referred to as Blewett Pass. The old road is still there (mostly), paved (enough), and maintained (somewhat) as USFS road 7320. It is, quite possibly, the best climb I have ever ridden.

https://www.velominati.com/the-rides/old-blewett-pass

Topoquest: USGS Map Name - Liberty, WA

https://www.topoquest.com/map.php?lat=47.35616&lon=-120.67047&datum=nad27&zoom=8&map=24k&coord=dms&mode=zoomout&size=m

CLICK HERE to continue exploring the Sunset Highway

CLICK HERE to continue exploring US Route 97