U.S. Route 97 Alternate

U.S. Route 97 Alternate
Map of Chelan County with US 97A highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by WSDOT
Length	39.95 mi[1] (64.29 km)
Existed	1987–present
Tourist routes	Cascade Loop Scenic Byway
Major junctions
South end	US 2 / US 97 in Sunnyslope
Major intersections	SR 971 near Entiat SR 150 in Chelan
North end	US 97 near Chelan
Location
Country	United States
State	Washington
County	Chelan
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Special Divided State highways in Washington Interstate US State Scenic Pre-1964 1964 renumbering Former
← US 97 → SR 99

U.S. Route 97 Alternate (US 97 Alt., also abbreviated as US 97A) is an alternate route of US 97 within the state of Washington. It runs for 40 miles (64 km) from Wenatchee to Chelan, following the west bank of the Columbia River opposite from US 2 and US 97. The highway travels through sparsely-populated areas along the river and passes near the Rocky Reach Dam and through the town of Entiat.

Wagon roads along the west side of the Columbia River were plotted in the 1880s by American settlers and added to the state highway system in 1897. The wagon road was designated as State Road 10 (later the Lake Chelan and Okanogan Highway) and was completely paved by the late 1930s. US 97 was created in 1926 and followed the highway, which was relocated in the 1950s due to the construction of the Rocky Reach Dam. A highway on the east side of the river was completed in the 1980s and designated as part of US 97 in 1987, leaving the west side to become an alternate route.