State Route 971 is a state highway

State highway

State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...

 in the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of Washington, running from US 97 Alternate west of Chelan

Chelan, Washington

Chelan is a city in Chelan County, Washington, United States. The population was 3,890 at the 2010 census. It sits on the southeast tip of Lake Chelan, where the lake flows into the Chelan River....

 to Lake Chelan State Park and back to US 97 Alternate farther southwest of Chelan. State Route 971 has the highest highway number in the state.

Route description

State Route 971 begins on the western shore of the Columbia River

Columbia River

The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...

, at an intersection with U.S. Route 97 Alternate north of the town of Entiat

Entiat, Washington

Entiat is a city in Chelan County, Washington, United States. It is part of the Wenatchee–East Wenatchee Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,112 at the 2010 census.-History:Entiat was officially incorporated on April 25, 1944...

. From there, the highway follows Navarre Coulee Road north, passing through Wenatchee National Forest

Wenatchee National Forest

Wenatchee National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in Washington. With an area of 1,735,394 acres , it extends about 137 miles along the eastern slopes of the Cascade Range of Washington, USA from Okanogan National Forest to Gifford Pinchot National Forest...

. Approximately nine miles north of its southern terminus, the road curves to the east, where Navarre Coulee Road ends at South Lakeshore Road.

From this intersection, SR 971 follows South Lakeshore Road east along the southern side of Lake Chelan

Lake Chelan

Lake Chelan is a narrow, 55-mile-long lake in Chelan County, northern Washington state, U.S. It is the largest natural lake in Washington state...

. (South Lakeshore Road also heads north from this intersection, serving two state parks, Lake Chelan

Lake Chelan State Park

Lake Chelan State Park is a campground located along the scenic and popular Lake Chelan on the east side of the Cascade Mountains. There are camp sites and multiple water recreation activities, including fishing, boating, and swimming. This park lies in Chelan County, Washington....

 and Twenty-Five Mile Creek

Twenty-Five Mile Creek State Park

Twenty-Five Mile Creek State Park in Chelan County, Washington is a camping park in the Washington State Park System. It consists of between the mountains and the forested south shore of Lake Chelan. Available activities include boating , fishing, waterskiing, birdwatching, and mountain...

.) Approximately six miles east of the intersection of these two roads, SR 971 ends back at US 97 Alternate, west of the town of Chelan

Chelan, Washington

Chelan is a city in Chelan County, Washington, United States. The population was 3,890 at the 2010 census. It sits on the southeast tip of Lake Chelan, where the lake flows into the Chelan River....

.

History

Until 1987, SR 971 connected to US 97. US 97 followed the west bank of the Columbia River between Wenatchee

Wenatchee, Washington

Wenatchee is located in North Central Washington and is the largest city and county seat of Chelan County, Washington, United States. The population within the city limits in 2010 was 31,925...

 and Stayman Flats Road (near the south end of SR 971). US 97 went inland to Lake Chelan and Chelan

Chelan, Washington

Chelan is a city in Chelan County, Washington, United States. The population was 3,890 at the 2010 census. It sits on the southeast tip of Lake Chelan, where the lake flows into the Chelan River....

. State Route 151 followed the east bank of the Columbia River from Wenatchee to Chelan. In 1987, State Route 151 became US 97. US 97 became US 97 Alternate.

Major intersections

The entire route is in unincorporated Chelan County.

Mile	Destinations	Notes
0.00		Southern terminus
9.07	South Lakeshore Road – Lake Chelan State Park Lake Chelan State Park Lake Chelan State Park is a campground located along the scenic and popular Lake Chelan on the east side of the Cascade Mountains. There are camp sites and multiple water recreation activities, including fishing, boating, and swimming. This park lies in Chelan County, Washington.... , Twenty-Five Mile Creek State Park Twenty-Five Mile Creek State Park Twenty-Five Mile Creek State Park in Chelan County, Washington is a camping park in the Washington State Park System. It consists of between the mountains and the forested south shore of Lake Chelan. Available activities include boating , fishing, waterskiing, birdwatching, and mountain...
15.02		Northern terminus