Hiking Close to Home

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Living on Whidbey Island for over 20 years and on Fidalgo Island for 5 has given me the opportunity to explore many of their most beautiful and intriguing places. There are beaches and bluffs, woodlands and wetlands, fields and forest, lovely lakes, and even a few mountains. Lace up your shoes, grab your walking stick and get ready to go exploring. 

​2020 Edition of Hiking Close to Home Now Available with More Trails!
Buy books by clicking the BOOKS tab above or visit our local book stores.

Happy July 4th Weekend! It's a great time to enjoy the beach. It's also a time when we get a lot of beach litter. If you'd like to help clean one of our favorite beaches, join us on Sunday morning for a low tide beach clean up at Double Bluff Park just south of Freeland on the south end of Double Bluff Road. Gloves, bags and long handled grabbers will be available. 

Trail Updates due to Covid-19 
Stay Close to Home, Stay Safe and Stay Healthy!
Facilities may still be closed but many trails are open if you practice social distancing.
​Check websites for updates before you go.
MOST State Parks, DNR and WDFW lands are open again. All State Parks in Island County are open. Nearly all of the day use restrooms are open and maintained.
However, Kukutali Preserve in Skagit County is NOT open at this time.
Here is the official open and closed list as of May 5:
https://parks.state.wa.us/1181/Parks-opening?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=
Island County Parks are open but restrooms and playgrounds may be closed. www.islandcountywa.gov/PublicWorks/Parks/Pages/Home.aspx 
Ebey's Landing National Historic Reserve, Bluff Trail and Pratt Loop are open . www.nps.gov/ebla/index.htm
Whidbey Camano Land Trust Trails are open. www.wclt.org/
South Whidbey Parks & Rec. some restrooms, gates, sports fields and playgrounds are closed but trails are open.  swparks.org/home/covid-19-announcement/
Possession Waterfront Beach Park and Dorothy Cleveland Trail are open. Facilities are closed.
Whidbey Insitute, Outdoor Classroom, Freeland Wetlands, Freeland Bike Trail, Greenbank Farm and Meerkerk Gardens are open. See Outdoor Classroom learning activities for kids. whidbeywatersheds.org/outdoor-activities-at-home/
Pacific Rim Institute trails, Kettles-Rhododendron Bike Trail, Kreuger Trail and Oak Harbor Waterfront Trail are open.
Anacortes Community Forest Lands are open. www.cityofanacortes.org/517/Community-Forest-Lands-ACFL
However, the road to the top of Mt. Erie is closed Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, which makes it a wonderful walk to the top! The roadway is OPEN Monday through Thursday.
Tommy Thompson Trail, Guemes Channel, and Washington Park trails are open www.cityofanacortes.org/1189/City-Closures
Padilla Bay Trail is open. Guemes Mountain and Kelly's Bluff are open. www.skagitlandtrust.org/  (See their scavenger hunt bingo.)
Peach Preserve is open. https://sjpt.org/covid-19-announcement/

Social Distancing Tips:
Hike early or late. It's light from 5:00 am to 9:30 pm.  Chose trails that are close to home so you won't need a restroom or to stop for gas. Many park restrooms remain closed. Be prepared and please don't leave a mess behind.
Pick a less popular trail. Pick a wide open trail or beach at low tide. When biking together, leave 30 feet between bikes.  Take pictures and send them to friends and family. Keep moving! To volunteer for trail work or a beach clean up on your own scroll down.

New Volunteer Trail Stewards Program
Want to become a volunteer Trail Steward on South Whidbey?
Email Doug Coutts, Executive Director, ​South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District.
Dirswprd@Whidbey.com

On-Going Whidbey Island Beach Clean-Up Schedule
Join Stinger Anderson Island County Beach Clean Up Coordinator
extension.wsu.edu/island/nrs/beachlitter/
 

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Cap Sante Shoreline Trail in Anacortes