Washington State Route 105

On Sunday, August 15, 2010, I drove the length of Washington State Route 105, from Raymond to Aberdeen, with a spur to Westport. Sunny cloudy sunny...

RCW 47.17.180
State route No. 105:

A state highway to be known as state route number 105 is established as follows:

Beginning at a junction with state route number 101 at Raymond, thence westerly by way of Tokeland and North Cove to the shore of Grays Harbor north of Westport; also

Beginning at a junction with state route number 105 in the vicinity south of Westport, thence northeasterly to a junction with state route number 101 at Aberdeen.

While a heat wave swept over the state, we headed for the coast. At the north end of Raymond, SR 105 starts at a junction with US 101. Over the hump and down into the Riverdale neighborhood, we quickly left the city behind and followed the Willapa River downstream to the giant mudflats of Willapa Bay. The road hugs the coast, turning inland to cross river mouths and sloughs. Soon the clouds began, a heavy marine layer sitting low on the hills. At Tokeland, we rounded a head and turned northward with the Pacific Ocean in full splendor to our left.


After a while paralleling the beaches, we reach SR 105's junction with itself, or rather its spur. Instead of the usual "Attraction -- next left" signs, the signs all emphasize the need to continue "straight" in a half mile to see the sights. Since straight ahead is, in fact, where the legal code describes the route going first, we continued straight at this junction and entered Westport.


The highway continues through the residential section of town (with a stoplight!) and proceeds to the marina at Westhaven Cove, which I'm sure is what most visitors would consider to be all there is of Westport. State Route 105 ends at this intersection with Westhaven Drive. Curiously, the pavement markings say you have to turn one way or the other, but there were cars down at the end of the pier straight ahead. I guess they just don't want random people driving down there, though.


Back at SR 105's junction with itself, the second leg of the route (per the code if not WSDOT's nomeclature) begins. It's time to head east. Let's see if we can leave this cool gray weather behind us.


That's better! The highway crosses South Bay and tools along Grays Harbor all the way to Aberdeen. On the south side of town, SR 105 meets its end at another junction with US 101. Continue straight to go north on 101 to Aberdeen and Hoquiam. To go south on 101 back to Raymond, hang a right.

'Twas our first time on SR 105 and to Westport. It's a rather peaceful stretch of coast and a good twenty degrees cooler than Seattle in the height of summer! Washington's ocean beaches are not "exciting" like you might find elsewhere, but "relaxing." And that's the way we like it.