Chuckanut Drive

WA 11, Chuckanut Drive · Burlington → Fairhaven

Leisurely19.5 mi35 min1,300 ft climbHigh point ≈ 300 ftOne way

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The drive

Chuckanut Drive is State Route 11, a scenic byway between Burlington and Bellingham's Fairhaven district. Driven north from Burlington, it begins across flat Samish Bay farmland, then climbs onto the sandstone cliffs of the Chuckanut Mountains, where the road is carved into the hillside above the water.

The cliff section is the part to take slowly. The road is two lanes with narrow shoulders, and it bends tightly along the bay. Larrabee State Park, Washington's first state park, is reached only by this road. The small farm towns of Bow and Edison are just off it on the Skagit side. The drive ends in historic Fairhaven.

It is 19.5 miles and takes about 35 minutes.

Along the way

Burlington (I-5 junction)
Larrabee State Park
Fairhaven

Elevation

1,300 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 300 ft

BurlingtonFairhaven

Curves

Mostly gentle, with one twisty stretch

mi 10–12

BurlingtonFairhaven

GentleHairpins

Good to know

Expect cyclists. Only some sections have bike lanes, and shoulders are narrow.
Rockslides close the cliff section at times, sometimes for weeks.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check WSDOT: travel alerts.

Questions about this drive

How long does Chuckanut Drive take?

Burlington to Fairhaven on Chuckanut Drive is 19.5 miles and takes about 35 minutes without stops.

Is Chuckanut Drive twisty?

Mostly gentle, with one twisty stretch on the cliffs above Samish Bay and Chuckanut Bay, where the road is narrow with few shoulders.

Does Chuckanut Drive ever close?

Yes. Rockslides can close it, sometimes for weeks; check WSDOT before you go.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.

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Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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