Darrington, WA

Darrington is a small mountain town of 1,400 in Washington's Cascade foothills, reached via scenic State Route 530 from I-5 near Arlington. The 30-mile drive follows the Stillaguamish River through forests and farmland. It's popular with hikers accessing North Cascades trails and serves as a starting point for the Mountain Loop Highway. The town hosts a major bluegrass festival each July.