Heading east through the Cascades from Stevens Pass, US-2 runs through the forests of Tumwater Canyon, a breathtaking place when fall color sweeps through it, and quite scenic any other time of year. Much of the surrounding wilderness was badly burned by wildfires in 1994 and again in 2001, but much of the area along US-2 survived pretty much unscathed.
All along this stretch, US-2 winds along the raging Wenatchee River through evergreen conifer forests highlighted by occasional aspens. The roadside is pretty much undeveloped, with one exception: At Coles Corner, 15 miles west of Leavenworth, the ‘59er Diner is a popular road-food restaurant, with great juicy burgers and crispy fries.
