 I had a hankering to be among big trees, so I went to Deception Pass. Parking at the Park Headquarters, I admired the native landscaping, then walked into the woods. As I started the hike, I heard the robins nagging, nagging, nagging, and the junco warning. The crows joined in to make a real raucous. They were pointing out an owl sitting just above me. I tried to get a clear view, but its back was turned. So I climbed the hill on the opposite side of the tree and looked up, but its back was still turned. Playing hard to get. Eventually, I got a good photo and then left the poor creature trying to get a little shut eye on one of the longest days of the year. There are big trees here. They’ve been standing for centuries and the phrase “holding up the sky” kept coming to mind. Huge cedars, Douglas fir and a lowly little yew, which has its own special magic. It’s where we got the medicine taxol that stops cancer cells in their tracks. It was a lovely day and I was not thinking of cancer. I was thinking how striking the red elderberry looks against its green leaves, and the red salmonberry and the red saprophytes. They grow out of the rotting detritus of the forest without producing green leaves, no photosynthesis needed. I took my time, hiking the Discovery Trail, a different way than I’d gone before. This trail took me under the road through an impressive stone archway built by the CCC during the Great Depression. The traffic noise faded away as I approached North Beach and encountered a stream of tourists. I climbed alongside a rock wall and under the bridge, paused to appreciate the woven struts that hold up the highway overhead. Then I climbed up and up and up through the trees to the summit of Goose Rock. A butterfly caught my eye. When it landed I tried to get a picture. But it laid flat and, from where I stood, nearly disappeared. I was about to turn away when it flittered up and toward me. I waited for it to land. It laid flat again. I waited and it did another circle around the clearing. I settled in and watched it circle and land, circle and land. It came so close I thought it might land on me. Enchanting. Perhaps, with it's magic dance, it is also holding up the sky. The view over Deception Island and the San Juans was clear but to the south the sky turned hazy. The stone summit offered a sunny seat. The sparce tree cover offered shade. I drank some water and let the breeze cool my sweaty back as I sat gazing across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the distant Olympics shrouded in clouds. The Perimeter Trail led down by some big fallen trees, under one, around another. Then curving as the trail followed the water. Trees screened the views of Ben Ure Island and Cornet Bay. Emerging from the woods the trail narrowed and climbed onto steep slopes with a few wildflowers, stonecrop, yarrow, hare bells. Madronas clung to rocky ledges. The marina across the bay hosted clusters of white boats on the shimmering blue waters. An oyster catcher called. A kingfisher answered. Up, up, up I climbed and then down into the trees again. Soon I was closing in on the ranger station where I began. It was time to go. I put my camera and binoculars into my pack as I walked. But just before stepping onto the parking lot, there was a pileated woodpecker, with its bright red head, pecking at a log right in front of me! I pulled my camera back out for a final photo. Maribeth For a map of Deception Pass State Park click here. Directions: From Highway 20 at Deception Pass Bridge, go south and take the first turn on the left to park at the Park Headquarters. Coming from the south, go straight through the light at Cornet Bay Road and turn right just after the gas station. Park at the Park Headquarters. A Discover Pass is required. Walk away from the road, and around the RV turnaround, to find the Goose Rock Trails and follow the signs. Restrooms are available at the nearby Quarry Pond campground.
By Bus and Bike: The fare free Route 411 Island Transit bus from Oak Harbor or March’s Point goes over Deception Pass daily. Northbound stops at the gas station next to the Park Headquarters. The Southbound bus stops at the light across the highway from the gas station. Please cross at the crosswalk. You can walk behind the store to find the trail that leads to the Park Headquarters and Goose Rock. Two bikes fit on a bus bike rack. There is no shoulder for bikes over Deception Pass. Cyclists should walk their bikes over the bridge. Please wear bright clothes if riding or walking on the shoulder of the road or waiting for the bus. This is a very busy road so take extra care. For a bus schedule, click here. Trail Conditions: The Discovery Trail is wide, smooth and with a gentle grade between the Park Headquarters and North Beach. The trails to the summit and the Perimeter Trail have sections that are steep and narrow. You will need good hiking shoes and may want to bring a walking stick.
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 Kath and I went camping close to home, at Colonial Creek in the North Cascades. Close is such a nebulous, relative term, is it not? This park feels like our backyard, always close, always in view. Our campsite at Colonial Creek Campground sat a mere quarter mile from Highway 20, the very road that winds past our house, though at the opposite end of Skagit County. Colonial Creek tumbled down from the towering 8,000-foot peak that shares its name, feeding into the glacial-blue depths of Diablo Lake. Across the highway, Thunder Creek mirrors this journey, and just a short walk from where we set up camp. The Thunder Creek Trail takes hikers on a sojourn into the heart of the park, following the glacier-fed creek from its forested valley to its origins high on the heathered slopes of Park Creek Pass. We had never hiked this trail before. It quickly became one of our favorites. I had gone earlier in the morning, long before daybreak, out of curiosity mostly, to follow the river upstream and see where the trail leads. Clouds clung to the peaks as I walked in the cool silence of the dawn. As I hiked, I realized I had entered a magical, majestic cathedral of towering giants, their presence timeless, their size humbling. They shadowed the ever-flowing river that flows nearby. When I returned shortly after sunrise, Kath asked about what I had found. “Heaven,” I replied. “I can’t wait to have you come see.” After a breakfast worthy of adventurers, we set off together on our gentle ascent. Our modest destination was the bridge that crosses the creek a mile and a half from the trailhead. Our true goal lay in immersing ourselves in the wilderness, letting it reveal its quiet and eternal beauty with each step. The spirit of the place quickly revealed itself to Kath. The river murmurs stories older than memory, its voice woven into the towering trees, into the breath of the land itself. The forest cradles you, drawing you deeper with each quiet revelation. Soon, you surrender to its rhythm, letting its tempo dictate your steps. Every turn in the trail unveiled another grove of stately elders, another tapestry of shifting hues and dancing light. The plaintive melodies of varied thrushes echoed like whispered secrets, joined by the rising flute of a Swainson’s and the piccolo trill of a Pacific wren. Sunlight ignited the mosses, maples, and maidenhair ferns, painting the trail with splashes of green. Bunchberry, starflowers, columbine, and candy flower added bursts of color. We played with the personalities of the trees—some hollow, some curled around stone, some twisted into fantastical shapes—but most stood tall, straight, resolute. Getting to the bridge granted some final gifts – a pair of deer walking the beach, a dipper doing its dance, and sunlight sparkling off the river waters and dissolving the clouds from the distant peaks. Entranced, we played in the sand at the water’s edge and soaked up the sights, smells, and sounds of this wilderness land. Eventually, we drifted back down the trail, greeting the trees we had met on the way up, promising we'd return to them again soon. They will be close in our hearts and not far from our home. jack Yes, there is a video! It is 6 minutes and 20 seconds of the sights and sounds of our journey. https://youtu.be/CxHLfdHDSw8 The short trip back home was made a little bit shorter by stopping at 5 B’s for a bumbleberry pie (Jack) and at Starbucks for a lavender matcha latte (for Kath). Mmmmm! Directions: Take Highway 20 east past Newhalem a few miles to the Colonial Creek campground. The trailhead is at the back of the campground, and has room for over a dozen cars. More parking is available near the entrance to the campground.
By Bike: It's a long bike ride from our islands, but we passed a couple bikers doing just that! Mobility: The well-traveled trail is wide in places, narrow in others. It has rocks, roots, and many gentle ups and downs. Trail Conditions: In great shape right now as far as the bridge, with the only mud encountered being near the campground amphitheater.  Huge purple pom poms populate my yard this time of year. Red, pink and white rhodies, planted 40 years ago, have grown as high as my house. They demand attention. They remind me that we also have native rhododendrons on central Whidbey. I decided to go and have a look. It was a bright morning when I stepped off the bus at Jacobs Road and walked the bike path to Rhododendron County Park. I was greeted by the delicate pink faces of native rhododendrons. There are hundreds of native varieties in southeast Asia, only 30 in North America, and only 5 in the Pacific Northwest. Our coastal rhododendrons appreciate living in the rain shadow behind the Olympic Mountains. They are Washington’s state flower and grow tall in the shade of our state tree, the Western Hemlock. The hedge of salal that rose to meet them were also in bloom, each blossom, a row of tiny bell-shaped flowers. The subtle blossoms of gymnacarpa, a small wild rose, was also in bloom. As I entered the park and left the highway noise and the barking dogs at WAIF behind, I settled into the woodland quiet. A few tents were erected in the campground. Walking passed them I arrived at the green gate of the Rhodie Road which provides easy access through the woods. I walked around the gate and admired the tall, leggy rhodies and their pretty pink blossoms, backed by the dark second growth forest around them. Shafts of sunlight pierced the canopy and shone on the flowers. I don’t know what it was that made me look up. It wasn’t a sound, or a movement, but when I did, I took a step back. An owl sat still on a branch in the distance. With binoculars I got a better look. It was a Barred Owl looking the other way. I watched it, as it turned it’s head and watched me, too. I returned to the campground loop just as a man rode by on a bike. This is a safe shortcut for bikes to go from Patmore Road to the bike path into Coupeville. I took a “shortcut” trail that I thought might lead me closer to the owl, but I lost sight of the bird. So I kept walking and wondering where this “shortcut” would lead. Ravens called from the treetops and then flew on. I stayed on the trail watching for roots on this narrow path. The raven dropped off a branch and floated up to the next staying just ahead. I wondered if it was escorting me, or trying to chase the owl away, or just letting everyone in the forest know I was there. I began to hear the song of a Pacific Wren, so many notes, so dainty and sweet. The raven led me to the wren which reminded me of part of a poem, Lost by David Wagoner. No two trees are alike to raven No two branches are alike to wren. I came upon the Grandpa Legacy Trail and turned south. This trail connects with the Walking Ebey Trail, which follows hedge rows and fence lines for miles until it reaches the Admiralty Inlet Preserve trails, which connects to Camp Casey, which connects to Fort Casey and Keystone State Park. But today, when I arrived at the Rhodie Road, I turned north to complete my loop. I checked my watch and sat down to have some tea before it was time to catch the bus. The ravens called overhead making sounds like winding a clock, then gulping water. Their calls added richness to my woodland walk, the curious calls, the salal growing on the cedar, the owl watching, the thickly grooved bark of the old Douglas fir, the intricate song of the Pacific wren, and delicate blossoms of the rhododendrons. Shafts of sunlight pierced the canopy spotlighting the pretty pink flowers. Maribeth For a Transit Trekker presentation go to the Coupeville library 3:30-5:00, Thursday, June 5. Get tips on planning your car-free adventures while exploring the region. For details click here. Directions: From Highway 20 in Coupeville, go east 1.8 miles and turn south onto Park Road next to the WAIF animal shelter.
By Bus and Bike: From Coupeville, bike or hike the Rhododendron Bike Path east 1.8 miles to Park Road and turn south. Or take fare free Island Transit Route 1 to Jacobs Road and walk the bike path east .3 miles to Park Road. Two bikes fit on a bus bike rack. For the latest bus schedule click here. Trail Conditions: The campground loop (gravel) and Rhodie Road (paved) are accessible for wheels. The other trails are more narrow with many roots. The park is level throughout. Porta Potties are available in the campground. There are restrooms, a picnic shelter, sports fields and a playground on the south side of the park accessible from Patmore Road.  [We venture a little east of our islands for this week's hike] Before white folks, streamside wetlands and rolling hills filled this land above the plains of the Skagit flats. Beavers created ponds; salmon swam the streams; elk browsed the brush. The Upper Skagit lived well within these habitats since time immemorial. Newcomers cut the forests, removed the beavers, and plowed the wetlands, eventually building the town of Sedro-Woolley nearby. In the early 1900s, the Northern State Hospital opened here as a farm colony where resident psychiatric patients helped with agricultural work, contributing to the hospital's self-sufficiency. Over a thousand patients lived here at one time. The hospital closed in the early 70s. Skagit County purchased over 700 acres of the surrounding grounds in 1991 to develop a major recreational facility. The investment of Skagit County Parks and hundreds of hard-working volunteers are transforming the land back into a natural landscape accessible to all. This week, our hike reflected these many aspects of this land’s history. The closest parking area is the grounds of the former Northern State Hospital, now the Port of Skagit County’s SWIFT center. Brooding buildings graced with lovely grounds designed by the Olmsted brothers welcome us to the area. The trail begins nearby, dropping to the Dovetail bridge across Hansen Creek, a significant salmon stream, then along a short stretch of graveled road to the Pumphouse bridge. A beehive of volunteers busily buzzed around the Pumphouse bridge area, working on the trail. They loaded and guided motorized wheelbarrows laden with gravel for the trail and removed hundred-year-old debris. Others repaired a rock wall near the bridge; still others removed invasives further along the trail. This group is the Skagit Trail Builders, volunteers who gather twice monthly to spend a day creating and building this magnificent array of hiking routes. A contingent of volunteers from The Mountaineers also assisted on this day while also hiking the trail to learn many of its amazing stories. Kath and I walked in our own hushed amazement at the work that has been done. The trail is a creative masterpiece. Some trails get you from point A to point B, with little in between to capture your heart. The point of the Hill Creek trail is not to get somewhere, but to be somewhere, to be delighted in each bend and turn of the pathway as it leads from a babbling brook to an open flower-filled meadow to a buzzing wetland overlook to an ancient cedar grove hushed with timeless eternity. We marveled at every turn of the trail, creatively winding among trees, hills, dales, old growth, young growth, flowers and fields, wetlands and highlands. Each turn seemed to bring out a comment of “oh, look at this,” or a smile of delight, or a meditative appreciation for the loving care in creating this trail. Nearing the halfway point, we dropped down to the brand-new Song Sparrow bridge, its dedication coming up in early September. We climbed the nearby North Knoll, a rounded bald rock rising high above the trail. Dropping back down the steep side trail, we continued on the loop, coming to a future Wind Phone in a hollowed-out cedar, serving as a wind phone in its own way right now. We wandered down to Hansen Creek and listened to the gentle joys of the waters, watching a leaf fall into the creek to be carried downstream. Flowers sparkled in the sunny meadow as we passed back through, a welcome warmth after a chilly week. We felt like kids on spring break, like butterflies newly emerged, like youngsters trekking newly discovered wilderness. Back at the trailhead, the volunteers continued their busy work, smiles on their faces as we thanked them for their hard work and dedication. Trails like this don’t just happen, of course. They take the investment of government resources to protect the land, creative planning, and thousands of hours of volunteer sweat, a sweet gift to us all. The hospital closed over 50 years ago, but its grounds continue to be a place of healing for the mind, body, and soul, thanks to those who have created this haven of nature and beauty. jack Yes, there is a video! Go to: youtu.be/jxYaxFcFNLI For information about Skagit Trail builders: https://skagittrailbuilders.org/2024/03/05/trail-story-a-path-from-the-past-to-the-future/ For Northern State Hospital background, go to: www.northerstatehospital.org Directions: Take Highway 20 east of Sedro-Woolley to Fruitdale Road and turn left at that signal. Go to the roundabout in a couple miles and enter the SWIFT Center. Go left at the T, then right on Hub Road, and park at the east end. Don't park anywhere else on the hospital grounds. The trail is in the trees straight ahead, with a portapotty right there.
By Bus: Skagit Transit has a bus stop near Fruitdale Road, leaving a couple mile walk up Fruitdale to the center. By Bike: The 22-mile Centennial Trail passes by the signal at Fruitdale Road. The SWIFT center is an easy ride from there. Mobility: The trail is mostly all packed gravel, two to three feet wide, and with occasional gentle hills. The bridges are wide and level with firm wood surfaces. Trail conditions: Superb, a well-made and maintained trail, and getting volunteer maintenance attention for six hours every other Saturday except in mid-summer. Join them if you can! |
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