The Long Way
Clallam County
A scenic view of a tree-covered rock islet on a sandy beach under a dramatic cloudy sky.
Plate I. Coastal scenery, Strait of Juan de Fuca Highway. From olympicpeninsula.org
Cars drive along a winding road surrounded by trees.
Plate II. Winding road, Strait of Juan de Fuca Highway. From highway112.org
A small tree-covered island sits in turquoise coastal waters near a rocky shore.
Plate III. Coastal view, Strait of Juan de Fuca Highway. From stateofwatourism.com
An aerial view shows a river mouth flowing into the ocean along a forested coastline.
Plate IV. Coastal view, Strait of Juan de Fuca Highway. From olympicpeninsula.org
A wooden boardwalk winds through a lush forest filled with ferns and tall trees.
Plate V. Boardwalk trail, Strait of Juan de Fuca Highway. From highway112.org

Strait of Juan de Fuca Highway

Port Angeles, Clallam County, Washington. National Scenic Byway; Year-round.

Details

Map. Port Angeles, Clallam County, Washington. Larger map
Where
Port Angeles, Clallam County, WA. No street address stated. Directions
Getting there
SR112 begins at Neah Bay (Milepost 0) and ends 61 miles east at its junction with Highway 101 (Milepost 61); from Port Angeles it is reached on Highway 101 west to the SR112 junction.
Fees
$10 per car; Makah Recreation Passes are valid for the calendar year during which they are purchased.
Access
A Makah Recreation Permit must be displayed in your vehicle while enjoying outdoor activities on reservation land.
Phone
360-963-2339
Website
highway112.org
Managed by
Juan de Fuca Scenic Byway Association.
Established
2000.

The remote Strait of Juan de Fuca Highway 112 winds along the magnificent shoreline of the narrow body of water that connects Puget Sound to the Pacific Ocean with views of Vancouver Island.

Notable Events

  1. 1911An unpaved county road connects Port Angeles to the Joyce area; most traffic is still horse-drawn. highway112.org
  2. 1915A road is built connecting Joyce to Lyre, then to Twin, Pysht, Clallam Bay, and finally Neah Bay. highway112.org
  3. 1928The various segments were consolidated as Clallam County Road 9A, and later State Route 112. archive.seattletimes.com
  4. 1929A 12.5-mile section of dirt roadway was added to Clallam County Road 9A from the Hoko-Ozette Road junction to the Makah Indian Reservation. wsdot.wa.gov
  5. 1936The Civilian Conservation Corps establishes Camp Twin; the men build roads and watch for forest fires. highway112.org
  6. 1947The state purchased the right-of-way from Sekiu to Neah Bay. wsdot.wa.gov
  7. 1948An 8.8-mile stretch of the highway was paved. wsdot.wa.gov
  8. 1952All railroad tracks are removed west of Port Angeles; logging trucks replace trains for log transport. highway112.org
  9. 1955The roadway from Sekiu to Neah Bay was incorporated into the Secondary State Highway 9A route. wsdot.wa.gov
  10. 1963The route designation of Secondary State Highway 9A was changed to State Route 112. wsdot.wa.gov
  11. 1967State Route 112 was designated a Washington State Scenic/Recreational Highway. highway112.org
  12. 2000State Route 112 was designated a National Scenic Byway, the Strait of Juan de Fuca Highway. highway112.org
  13. 2007SR 113 from Sappho and SR 112 from that junction to the Makah Indian Reservation at Neah Bay were designated the Korean War Veterans' Blue Star Memorial Highway. highway112.org

People

  • Joe Murray, Author of a history of the road; managing forester at the Merrill & Ring tree farm on Highway 112.
  • Sandra Balch, President of the Clallam Bay-Sekiu Chamber of Commerce who led local efforts to win the National Scenic Byway designation.

Sources

  1. highway112.org/trip.html
  2. highway112.org/exhibit.html
  3. highway112.org/museums.html
  4. highway112.org/hiking.html
  5. highway112.org/directions.html
  6. highway112.org/about.html
  7. highway112.org
  8. fhwaapps.fhwa.dot.gov/bywaysp/byway/13740
  9. stateofwatourism.com/scenic-byways/strait-of-juan-de-fuca-highway
  10. scenicwa.com/strait-of-juan-de-fuca-hwy-112
  11. olympicpeninsula.org/road-trips/strait-of-juan-de-fuca-scenic-byway
  12. highway112.org/history.html
  13. wsdot.wa.gov/construction-planning/protecting-environment/historic-highways/historic-highway-sr-112