Washington State’s newest Scenic Byway is also the state’s first scenic route to include a "marine highway," which is an historic canoe route of the Coast Salish peoples. The 2008 Washington State Legislature granted the San Juan Islands Scenic Byway the ability to pursue funding as a State Scenic Byway during their last week in session. The route includes the Washington State Ferries’ Anacortes/San Juan Islands route, stops at Lopez, Shaw, Orcas, and San Juan Islands, as well as County roads on Orcas and San Juan Islands.

"This new designation will help us educate visitors through stewardship principles regarding the beautiful and unique sea and land routes of the islands,” said Deborah Hopkins, Scenic Byways leader and Executive Director of the San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau. "For us, the byway process is a way to preserve and protect our fragile environment and the character of island life through education and interpretation."

With designation as a State Scenic Byway, the byway organization will be eligible to apply for National Scenic Byway grants. In 2007, more than $2 million in federal funds were made available to Washington’s Scenic Byways. These funds go directly to the local communities along the byway for projects in their Corridor Management Plan.

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