Work underway to clear SR 542 Road to Artist Point at Mount Baker

(GLACIER)– On Wednesday, May 27 Washington State Department of Transportation maintenance crews began the process of clearing the final 2.7 miles of State Route 542/Mount Baker Highway, also known as the Road to Artist Point.

Crews are working to remove up to 20 feet of snow covering the highway and the Artist Point parking lot.

Each year, crews remove snow and ice from the highway up to the Heather Meadows area throughout the winter. However, the last 2.7 miles of SR 542 is narrow, has sharp curves and steep slopes. Each fall the road closes to vehicle traffic for safety, typically after the first significant snowfall.

In 2025, the Road to Artist Point opened on June 27 and closed Oct. 15.

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