Mount Vernon (Washington)

Mount Vernon is the county seat of Skagit County a city in the North Cascades region of Washington State. In 1998 Mount Vernon was rated the #1 "Best Small City in America" by the New Rating Guide to Life in America's Small Cities.

Get in
Mount Vernon is on western Washington's main north-south transportation route, Interstate 5, where the major east-west highway SR 536 intersects.

By car
The easiest and most common way to get to Mount Vernon is via Interstate 5 (or "I-5"), which passes through the city. I-5 gives access from Bellingham and Vancouver, British Columbia to the north, and from Seattle to the south. SR 536 gives access (via SR 20) from Anacortes and Whidbey Island to the west.

By train

 * Amtrak Cascades operates between Vancouver, BC and Eugene via Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Everett, Edmonds, Seattle, Tukwila, Tacoma, Lacey (Olympia), Centralia, Kelso (Longview), Vancouver, WA, Portland, Oregon City, Salem, and Albany. There are two round trips daily along the portion between Vancouver and Seattle, four round trips daily along the portion between Seattle and Portland, and two round trips daily along the portion between Portland and Eugene.  No train departures travel the whole length of the route. Additional service between Vancouver and Seattle, and between Portland to Eugene are provided on the Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach.  Connections from the Empire Builder from Chicago can be made in Everett and from the Coast Starlight coming from Los Angeles can be made in Seattle.
 * Amtrak Cascades operates between Vancouver, BC and Eugene via Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Everett, Edmonds, Seattle, Tukwila, Tacoma, Lacey (Olympia), Centralia, Kelso (Longview), Vancouver, WA, Portland, Oregon City, Salem, and Albany. There are two round trips daily along the portion between Vancouver and Seattle, four round trips daily along the portion between Seattle and Portland, and two round trips daily along the portion between Portland and Eugene.  No train departures travel the whole length of the route. Additional service between Vancouver and Seattle, and between Portland to Eugene are provided on the Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach.  Connections from the Empire Builder from Chicago can be made in Everett and from the Coast Starlight coming from Los Angeles can be made in Seattle.

By bus
Skagit Station is also the bus station for Skagit Transit, Island Transit & Greyhound on 105 E Kincaid St in the eastern edge of downtown Mt Vernon, behind the county jail and next to I-5 at Exit #226:
 * public transportation in and around Mt Vernon, Burlington, Sedro Valley, Anacortes, and other areas in Skagit County.
 * 40X connects Mount Vernon with March's Point Park & Ride. At March's Point P&R, riders can connect with Island Transit bus route 411W to Oak Harbor in Whidbey Island and Skagit Transit bus route 410 to the Anacortes-San Juan Ferry via Anacortes
 * 80X connects Mount Vernon with Bellingham, Alger and Chuckanut P&R. Route operated by Skagit Transit and Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA)
 * 90X connects Chuckanut P&R, Mount Vernon and S Mt Vernon P&R, with Everett, where transfers are possible with Sound Transit (510) for travel to downtown Seattle.
 * 615 Mount Vernon, La Conner, and March's P&R in Anacortes.



Get around
Due to the size of the city, it is easy to travel by bike.

By public transit

 * Bus route 411C operates daily between Mount Vernon and Camano Island.
 * Bus route 411C operates daily between Mount Vernon and Camano Island.
 * Bus route 411C operates daily between Mount Vernon and Camano Island.