Story by Janice Podsada.

If you’ve got an extra day and extra cash, don’t end your North Cascades Scenic Highway road trip at Diablo Lake.

Keep Going. Drive another 60-70 miles east and spend the night in Winthrop or Twisp, the heart of the Methow Valley.

When you head home, don’t backtrack. Instead, do the Cascade Loop through miles and miles of apple country. Stop at Lake Chelan for spectacular views of the 50-mile-long reservoir, visit Leavenworth, the Bavarian-themed burg. For a breather, pull into the Wenatchee River Viewpoint just off Highway 2 or make a 10-minute detour at Coles Corner for a stroll along Lake Wenatchee.

We left mid-morning from Everett for a two-day road trip with four hours of easy driving both days.

On the first leg, we connected with the North Cascades Highw

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