In the original determination for choosing the roadpath route, the requirements were simple: (1) The roadpath must be a hard surface road; (2) The roadpath must be contiguous across the entire route, (3) The roadpath must not be an Interstate Highway (or any highway which would exclude bicycles) and (4) The roadpath route, in describing the "Northern" and/or "Northernmost" Highways, has as a definition, those highways which remain within the United States nearest to the USA/CAN border without crossing into Canada.

This contiguous roadpath traverses a distance of 4,872 miles, with the western terminus end at the Cape Flattery Trailhead in Neah Bay, Washington, a foot path to the northern most lighthouse in Washington and the eastern terminus end at the West Quoddy Head where a lighthouse of the same name is located and this point is the easternmost point in the United States.

This is a brand new National Scenic Byway, one which has its origin found within my personal desire to travel (as a recreational passage) across the top of the United States. In the fall of 2025, I left the west coast of Washington state headed eastbound on this roadpath with the desire to drive and document the route, recording the specific highways traveled, as well as locations for camping and/or overnighting. I was only able to drive to the state of Minnesota before the temperatures plummeted to near freeze at night, causing me to turn right and drive south to a warmer region (south Texas) for the winter.

Then, in the middle of February 2026, with the temperatures in south Texas soaring into the eighties, I departed my winter hiatus to begin my northbound Journey On™ through North America, traveling east by northeast through the Interior Lowlands Region, then into the Appalachian Mountains Region where I turned northeast into and through New England to the eastern terminus of this new National Scenic Byway, is the easternmost point in the lower 48 states, a coastal lighthouse know as West Quoddy Head Lighthouse located not far from the town of Lubec, Maine, from whence I will begin the logistical eastbound drive of the North Tier Route.

The Northern Tier Route (NTR) in Washington is divided into two section, one west of Puget Sound on the Olympic Peninsula and a second section on the east side of Puget Sound which includes the entire rest of the state and which is by far the longest of the two sections, at over 75 percent of the total mileage in the state. Also, there is a Washington State Ferry ride that connects the two sections, which is a very picturesque boat ride.

The NTR can be crossed in either direction, but if crossed in a west to east (eastward direction), then the NTR would start by first driving west to Neah Bay, Washington which is in the extreme northwest corner of the state. Unless arrange for before hand driving eastbound across the state might involve riding the ferry across Puget Sound twice. However, driving in a west bound direction could only involve crossing on the ferry once.

The NTR in Washington state crosses through and/or alongside two National Parks, miles of National Forest, over two Rocky Mountain ranges (Selkirk Mountains, Kettle River Range), through a couple of state parks, across two Islands, across the deep oceanic Puget Sound, and along miles of shorelines.

US 2 Bridge over the Pend Oreille River

Coupeville Ferry Loading Pier

Western Section

Eastern Section