Mystic Mountain Retreat Directions
18511 273rd Ave SE, Monroe Wa 98272
425-971-3527 (text and message)
360-794-6388 (hm, no message);
Mystic Mountain Retreat is located 7 miles from Monroe midway between Monroe and Sultan off the Ben-Howard Rd, on the south side of the Skykomish River. It is a beautiful country drive.
Please make sure to print out these directions as many GPS map systems use an old road design and may get you lost or your phone may have limited service.
Verizon phone service works great, AT&T is ok while T-Mobile normally does not work.
Google maps with turn by turn directions no longer work like they used to, they now say to turn at the 176th entrance off Ben Howard Rd …do not go up the 176th entrance…make sure to turn on 175th entrance, it is the main entrance across from the mail boxes with our sign and is paved…once you turn on 175th the directions are correct.
From what I have heard Waze maps works great, but again do not go up the 176th entrance, only 175th.
Both IPhone and Bing Maps will take you up the 176th entrance then tell you to go up our emergency road or what I call the goat trail….do not use IPhone or Bing Maps.
The 175th entrance is paved with a big River King sign and mail boxes across the street, the 176th entrance is gravel, steep and not maintained very often.
There are numbers on most of the telephone poles, starting at #1 at the entrance and ends at #32, our driveway is just after #30. This is the main road, the road numbers change but we call it the main road.
Please call when you turn on the Ben Howard Rd to let us know you are coming, if we don’t answer leave a message and come on up.
5 easy steps, the extra information below is for the alternate routes to Mystic Mt
Short version if using a GPS or map system: Turn south on 175th off Ben Howard Rd (NOT 176th ) across from mail boxes, follow main road UP UP for 1.5 miles just past telephone pole #30 (when there is a choice take the main road UP UP), see sign Mystic Mountain Retreat. Paved road turns to gravel about mid-way.
- Please keep dogs on leash as we have chickens and cats running around the pond and house area.
- Park near the gate towards the barn or near the pond.
- One of our cats is NOT afraid of dogs, please be careful.
- Please do not bring dogs into dog area until you have found a caregiver, we bring dogs into the field area and may not know you are here.
- If your dog is dog aggressive please leave in cars until we make sure our dogs are in the house.
Full directions with description of local landmarks:
1) Many ways to Monroe,
– Hwy 405 to exit 23 east, Woodinville to Monroe via 522 hwy to the end at US2 – go east (Stevens Pass)
* Follow US2 east, then right/south on Lewis St/203 hwy (Shell/US Bank) (towards Duvall)
or
– Redmond or Woodinville or Carnation to Duvall, then hwy 203 north to Monroe
* Turn right/east on Ben Howard Rd just before Skykomish river (one block south of Monroe) (see below for alternative ways to hwy 203)
or
– Everett to Monroe via US2 – east
* Then right/south on Lewis St/203 hwy (Shell/US Bank) (towards Duvall)
or
– Lake City Way turns into hwy 522 which ends in Monroe at US2 – go east (Stevens Pass)
– Follow US2 east, then right/south on Lewis St/203 hwy (Shell/US Bank) (towards Duvall)
2) Take the Ben Howard Rd off hwy 203, just South of Monroe Skykomish river bridge,
– go towards Sultan, east
– turn is about one block south past bridge
– if you see fruit/veggie stands and garden farms you have gone too far south, turn around
3) Follow Ben Howard East for about 5-6 miles
– pass many farms
– pass campground
– pass raised houses by river
– road narrows, river on left, hill on right
– look for row of mail boxes on left/river side of road
4) Turn right/south into “River King Estates”, 175th Pl SE (Do NOT go up 176th as some maps will direct you),
– paved road that goes up with woods on both sides
– see River King Estates sign on right side of 175th right (as you are turning into the entrance)
– entrance is across the road from the row of mail boxes on left/river side of Ben Howard Rd
*** If you pass the Cedar Ponds road, see Mann Rd (3 way stop sign), or go into Sultan you have gone too far East***
Follow main road UP UP UP for just under 1.5 miles,
– Whenever there is a choice always go up!!!
– The road curves around a bunch of new homes with a view of the river, make sure to turn UP Hill (right) when 274th comes to a T at 176th , do NOT go down hill or left.
– Pavement turns into gravel about one block after making the turn after the new homes, again keep going up around a few turns and forward, the road will straighten.
– Follow telephone poles past number “30” & past green chained link fence
(yes, most of the telephone poles have numbers on them)
*** please go 10 miles an hour as kids and dogs play on our roads ***
5) Road splits into three directions at telephone 30, we are the middle, see sign “Hills” and “Mystic Mountain Retreat”
Follow driveway for 300 ft, see gate, sign, horse trailer and pond.
Specific road numbers, this may be more confusing than following the road UP UP UP but in case you need to know where you are this will help.
Ben Howard Rd east… then right/south on 175th, right on 175th, straight/left on 175th, left/up hill on 274th, right on 176th, left (follow turn) on 178th, straight on 273rd, middle driveway after 3 way split after telephone 30)
*************************************************************************
Detailed directions from Redmond Area (back way from the eastside to Monroe using hwy 203):
(this is a great county road route from Seattle- hwy 520, only 4 turns) Redmond to Duvall, then hwy 203 North to Monroe (this is the way you will want to come from Redmond)
* Take 520 north/east (towards Redmond)
* stay on 520, it turns into Avondale road (north), stay on Avondale until it ends at the Woodinville/Duvall road
* turn right/east onto the Woodinville/Duvall road, follow until you reach Duvall at the HWY 203 light
* turn left/north towards Monroe, go until just before Monroe Skykomish river
* turn right/east on Ben Howard Rd just before river (one block south of Monroe)
* follow the rest of the directions starting at #2
Detailed directions from Woodinville/hwy 522 towards Duvall using the Woodinville/Duvall rd to hwy 203
* Access hwy 522 from hwy 405, exit 23
* take the 2nd exit east of hwy 405, (NE 195th, Duvall) (1st exit is Woodinville, 3rd exit is Costco)
* go south onto NE 195th, this will turn into NE north Woodinville way which then turns into NE 185th or NE Woodinville/Duvall rd (look for signs that say Duvall)
* follow for many miles past Avondale Rd (cottage lake area) and then down into the valley towards Duvall
* at hwy 203 in Duvall, turn left/north towards Monroe, go until just before Monroe Skykomish river
* turn right/east on Ben Howard Rd just before river (one block south of Monroe)
* follow the rest of the directions starting at #2
Detailed directions from Redmond Ridge/Novelty Hill – Redmond Ridge to Duvall, then hwy 203 North to Monroe
* On Novelty Hill road head east down into the valley
* turn left at the bottom and go straight thru the light (north)
* follow the valley road for a few miles until the light
* turn right/east onto the Woodinville/Duvall road, follow until you reach Duvall at the HWY 203 light
* turn left/north towards Monroe, go until just before Monroe Skykomish river
* turn right/east on Ben Howard Rd just before river (one block south of Monroe)
* follow the rest of the directions starting at #2
Detailed directions from I90 via Snoqualmie Pkwy
* Take I90 until the Snoqualmie Pkwy / hwy 18 exit # 25
* Go north/east until hwy 202
* Turn left/north at hwy 202, pass the “Falls”
* Just before Fall City see the hwy 203 interchange (circle exit)
* Turn RIGHT onto hwy 203, drive north towards Carnation
* Follow hwy 203 north thru all towns (Carnation/Duvall) until just before Monroe and the Skykomish river
* Turn right/east on Ben Howard Rd just before river (one block south of Monroe)
* follow the rest of the directions starting at #2
Directions from Sultan (use this if you are traveling from the Stevens pass area):
* In Sultan, turn south/left over the bridge to Mann Rd (At Ixtapa & traffic light)
* Go to the T and turn right onto the Ben Howard Rd (go towards Monroe, west)
* Follow Ben Howard Rd west for about 3-4 miles
– pass Cedar Ponds Rd
– pass the first entrance into River King Estates (176th (do NOT go up this rd)
– road narrows see mail boxes on right, above river
*** Turn left/south into “River King Estates”, 175th Pl SE (on map quest this road may be 176th)
– main road that goes up with woods on both sides, River King Estates sign, row of mail boxes on river side
– If you see camp ground you have gone too far west, turn around
* Follow rest of the directions starting at #4
Directions to Sultan (use this if you are traveling to the Stevens Pass area):
* Drive down the gravel road from Mystic Mountain Retreat
* Gravel turns into pavement, always go DOWN
* Turn right/east on the Ben Howard Rd when you reach the T
* Follow Ben Howard east for about 3-4 miles
– pass Cedar Ponds Rd
* At the stop sign turn left (straight is a dead end road)
* Follow for a mile or so, across rail-road tracks
* Turn right on US2, this will take you east to Gold Bar and Stevens Pass