Stephen Mather Memorial Parkway is in west-central Washington 40 miles southeast of Seattle. It begins in Enumclaw and travels southeast to Naches. It follows WA 410, a two-lane paved road suitable for all vehicles, and is about 90 miles long. The byway is usually open year-round; temporary closure is possible in winter.
Stephen Mather Memorial Parkway travels across portions of Snoqualmie and Wenatchee National Forests. It crosses 5,430-foot Chinook Pass and alongside Mount Rainier National Park. Traveling east from Enumclaw, the byway climbs through old growth forests and is accompanied by the White River. At Chinook Pass the byway descends dramatically through Wenatchee National Forest and is accompanied by the American River. From Cliffdell, the Naches River flows beside the byway as you enter the fertile agricultural valley of Yakima County.
Two national forest campgrounds are located along the byway between Enumclaw and Chinook Pass. The Dalles Campground has a total of 44 RV and tent sites; Silver Springs has 55 sites. Both campgrounds are open May through September. There are no hookups. Numerous public campgrounds are located between Chinook Pass and Naches. A side trip down Bumping Lake Road yields even more national forest campgrounds.
Stephen Mather Memorial Parkway also provides access to Mount Rainier National Park, which contains Washington’s highest peak. Mount Rainier is 14,410 feet high and supports the largest glacial system in the lower 48 states. There are 27 named glacier encompassing 35 square miles. The park has six campgrounds with a total of 600 campsites. Two hotels, both listed on the National Register of Historic Places, are also within the park.