Stevens Pass Historic District

Stevens Pass Historic District is a railway heritage area in the Cascade Range that preserves tunnels, bridges, and support structures built to carry trains across the mountains. The site stretches across both King and Chelan Counties within a national forest setting.

The Great Northern Railway constructed this mountain crossing in the late 1800s to connect eastern and western Washington for the first time by rail. This engineering effort overcame one of the most challenging terrain barriers on the West Coast.

The district reflects how railroad construction linked distant communities and shaped mountain life through transportation routes. Visitors can observe how the structures and pathways still define how this remote region connects to the broader world.

The site is accessible from US Highway 2, which runs through the district. Visitors should come prepared for elevation and rugged mountain conditions when exploring the historic structures.

The district features snow sheds, specialized structures built to shield trains from winter avalanches on the mountain pass. These protective tunnels are rare surviving examples of early railway winter safety infrastructure.