State Route 165 is a numbered state highway in Washington, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. Its northern terminus is at State Route 410

State Route 410 (Washington)

State Route 410 is a long state highway that traverses Pierce, King, and Yakima counties in the U.S. state of Washington. It begins at an interchange with SR 167 in Sumner and travels southeast across the Cascade Range to a junction with U.S. Route 12 in Naches...

 in Buckley

Buckley, Washington

Buckley is a city in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 4,354 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Buckley is located at near the communities of Enumclaw, Bonney Lake, and Wilkeson....

. Its southern terminus is at the Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National Park is a United States National Park located in southeast Pierce County and northeast Lewis County in Washington state. It was one of the US's earliest National Parks, having been established on March 2, 1899 as the fifth national park in the United States. The park contains...

 boundary near Mowich Lake

Mowich Lake

Mowich Lake is a lake located in the northwestern corner of Mount Rainier National Park in Washington State at an elevation of . The name "Mowich" derives from the Chinook jargon word for deer....

.

Route description

The road begins at an intersection with State Route 410 in Buckley

Buckley, Washington

Buckley is a city in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 4,354 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Buckley is located at near the communities of Enumclaw, Bonney Lake, and Wilkeson....

. It heads south, intersects with State Route 162

Washington State Route 162

State Route 162 is a long state highway located entirely in Pierce County, Washington, United States.- Route description :...

 and then passes through the towns of Wilkeson

Wilkeson, Washington

Wilkeson is a town in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 477 at the 2010 census.-History:Wilkeson was officially incorporated on July 24, 1909 and boasts the oldest operating in Washington state....

 and Carbonado

Carbonado, Washington

Carbonado is a town in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 610 at the 2010 census.-History:* This history has been condensed. For a more thorough history of Carbonado and the surrounding area read, Carbon River Coal Country.*...

. South of Carbonado, the road forks and the pavement ends. The north fork goes to the Carbon River

Carbon River

The Carbon River is a river in the U.S. state of Washington. It flows about 30 miles from its source, the Carbon Glacier on Mount Rainier, to join the Puyallup River at Orting....

 entrance to Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National Park is a United States National Park located in southeast Pierce County and northeast Lewis County in Washington state. It was one of the US's earliest National Parks, having been established on March 2, 1899 as the fifth national park in the United States. The park contains...

, while SR 165 continues along the south fork (Mowich Lake Road) into Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National Park is a United States National Park located in southeast Pierce County and northeast Lewis County in Washington state. It was one of the US's earliest National Parks, having been established on March 2, 1899 as the fifth national park in the United States. The park contains...

.

State maintenance (along with the State Route 165 designation) ends at the park boundary. Mowich Lake Road continues 6 miles (9 km) into the park, ending at ranger station at Mowich Lake

Mowich Lake

Mowich Lake is a lake located in the northwestern corner of Mount Rainier National Park in Washington State at an elevation of . The name "Mowich" derives from the Chinook jargon word for deer....

. The road inside the park is only open from July to October each year due to winter conditions.

History

State Route 165 was added to the state highway system in 1931 as a part of State Road 5. In 1937, this was renamed Primary State Highway 5, and what is now SR 165 was the Enumclaw-Fairfax branch of that highway (except between Enumclaw and Buckley, which is now SR 410). When the current highway numbering system was developed with the 1964 renumbering, the highway became State Route 165.

Major intersections