Washington State Route 112 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids State Route 112
SR 112 highlighted in red
Route information
Auxiliary route of US 101
Defined by RCW 47.17.215
Maintained by WSDOT
Length	61.31 mi (98.67 km)
Existed	1964–present
Tourist routes	Strait of Juan de Fuca Highway
Major junctions
West end	Makah Indian Reservation boundary near Neah Bay
	SR 113 near Clallam Bay
East end	US 101 near Port Angeles
Highway system
State highways in Washington Interstate • US • State Former PSH • 1964 renumbering • Former SR ← SR 110 SR 113 →

State Route 112 (SR 112), also known as the Strait of Juan de Fuca Highway, is a special road in Washington State. It's not just a regular highway; it's also a scenic byway, which means it offers beautiful views. The road stretches for about 61 miles (98 kilometers) along the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It connects the Makah Indian Reservation near Neah Bay in the west to U.S. Route 101 near Port Angeles in the east.

Exploring the Scenic Highway

SR 112 crosses the Elwha River Gorge on a deck arch bridge located west of Port Angeles

SR 112 starts near the Makah Indian Reservation, close to where the Sail River meets the sea. If you keep going west, the road turns into Bayview Avenue and leads to Neah Bay and Cape Flattery. Cape Flattery is the most northwestern point in the entire United States!

As SR 112 heads southeast, it winds along the beautiful Strait of Juan de Fuca. You'll see lots of trees from the Northwest Olympic Mountains and cross many small rivers and streams. Along the way, you can find cozy resorts, inns, and public parks. There are also amazing viewpoints where you can look across the strait and see Vancouver Island in Canada.

After crossing the Hoko River, the highway goes a bit inland before reaching the town of Sekiu and its small airport. Then, SR 112 returns to the coast and turns south at Clallam Bay. It goes through the town and follows the Clallam River through a valley.

Connecting to Other Roads

The highway leaves the Clallam River and reaches the foothills of Burnt Mountain. Here, it meets SR 113, which goes south to US 101 at Sappho. SR 112 then turns east, following the Pysht River valley back towards the strait. It rejoins the coast at Pysht, near Pillar Point.

The road continues southeast along the coastal cliffs. It has some sharp turns as it crosses several creeks that flow into the strait. After passing Twin Beach, SR 112 moves further inland. It follows an old railroad path through a flat area with small towns like Disque, Joyce, and Ramapo. These are near the Salt Creek Recreation Area.

SR 112 also passes close to the Lower Elwha Indian Reservation. Then, it turns south to cross the Elwha River gorge on a long bridge. This bridge is about 564 feet (172 meters) long! Near the bridge, there's a special center built in 2016. It teaches visitors about the amazing project that removed dams on the Elwha River to help nature. The highway finally ends after the bridge, where it meets US 101 west of Port Angeles.

Special Designations and Safety

SR 112 is officially known as the Strait of Juan de Fuca Highway. It's a National Scenic Byway, which means it's recognized for its natural beauty. The western part of SR 112 is also part of the Cape Flattery Tribal Scenic Byway. This state scenic byway continues onto the Makah reservation, leading to Neah Bay and Cape Flattery.

Parts of SR 112 have special names to honor veterans. The western section (west of SR 113) is called the Korean Veterans Blue Star Memorial Highway. The eastern half is named the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. These names were given in 2007 and 2008.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) takes care of SR 112. They count how many cars use the road each year. In 2016, about 990 cars used the western end, while about 6,100 cars used the section near the Elwha River Bridge. SR 112 is also a very important tsunami evacuation route for towns along the strait. It connects to logging roads that go uphill, helping people get to safety quickly.

History of the Highway

In the late 1800s, the northwestern part of the Olympic Peninsula was opened up for logging and people to settle. A rough path along the Strait of Juan de Fuca was used by early settlers. In the 1920s, this path was improved into a wagon road. Later, a railroad for logging was built next to it.

The county government took care of this wagon road, calling it County Road 1. But in 1937, the state government took over, and it became part of Secondary State Highway 9A (SSH 9A). This highway connected Sappho to Port Angeles. In 1947, the state bought land to extend SSH 9A all the way to Neah Bay. The existing highway was paved a year later.

Changes and New Names

By 1953, a road from Neah Bay to SSH 9A was finished. In 1955, this new road became part of SSH 9A, and the old part near Sappho was removed. There was also a plan in the 1940s to extend SSH 9A south to US 101 near Queets, creating a long coastal route. The local government supported this idea, but people who wanted to protect nature were against it. In 1958, a U.S. Supreme Court Justice, William O. Douglas, even joined a hike along the coast to protest the plan. Because of these protests, the coastal highway idea was stopped.

In 1964, many highways in Washington were renumbered. SSH 9A became SR 112. In 1967, it was officially named a state scenic byway. The part of SSH 9A that went to Sappho was added back to the state highway system in 1991 as SR 113.

On June 15, 2000, SR 112 became a National Scenic Byway, getting its name, the Strait of Juan de Fuca Highway. This happened as people were working to restore the natural environment after years of logging. Local leaders and people from the tourism and timber industries celebrated this in 2001. In 2007, the state legislature named the western part of SR 112 and SR 113 the "Korean War Veterans Blue Star Memorial Highways."

Dealing with Landslides

Since the 1960s, parts of SR 112 have often been damaged by landslides, especially after big winter storms. In early 1990, a large landslide made the state consider closing a section of the highway.

In December 2008, a big winter storm caused floods and a landslide near Joyce. This closed the highway on January 8, 2009. Workers started temporary repairs, and for a while, only one-way traffic was allowed. The road fully reopened on March 12. In January 2021, five more landslides caused several sections of the highway to close, including about 8 miles (13 kilometers) near the Pysht River. The highway was fully reopened in July of that year.

Major Intersections

The entire highway is in Clallam County.

Location	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
​	0.00	0.00	Makah Indian Reservation boundary	Western end; continues west as Bayview Avenue
​	23.05	37.10	SR 113 south (Burnt Mountain Road) – Sequim, Forks
​	61.31	98.67	US 101 (Olympic Highway) – Port Angeles, Forks, Aberdeen	Eastern end
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi