SR 542 Road to Artist Point at Mount Baker reopens for season Wednesday, June 10

GLACIER – In time for weekend recreating, the final 2.7 miles of State Route 542/Mount Baker Highway—also known as the Road to Artist Point—reopened for the season at 7 a.m. Wednesday, June 10.

Since late May, Washington State Department of Transportation maintenance crews have removed as much as 20 feet of snow covering the highway and the Artist Point parking lot.

Many of the trails accessed from Artist Point remain under deep snow, and most signs with directional maps are still unavailable. Vault toilets and garbage cans are available at Artist Point. Recreationalists should plan for limited cell service and pack extra emergency supplies.

It is unknown when the U.S. Forest Service’s Heather Meadows Visitor Center will open for the season.

People will need the appropriate recreational pass for use of the area. Travelers should still expect to see WSDOT maintenance and U.S. Forest Service crews working along SR 542, as they continue to maintain the road through the season.

After it reopens each summer, approximately 650 vehicles travel to Artist Point per day. Nearly 40,000 people visit the Glacier Public Service Center throughout the year to get the required permits and check weather conditions ahead of their outdoor adventures.

Throughout the winter each year, crews remove snow, ice and debris from the highway up to the Heather Meadows area. However, the last 2.7 miles of SR 542 are narrow, with sharp curves and steep slopes. Crews close the road to vehicle traffic each fall for safety, typically with the first snowfall.

In 2025, crews opened the Road to Artist Point on June 27 and closed it on Oct. 15. After the highway closes for winter, a portion of it becomes part of the Mt. Baker Ski Area.

People can find real-time updates for the road to Artist Point on the WSDOT Mount Baker Highway Mountain Pass page, the WSDOT Travel Map and X/formerly Twitter.