This week felt like true summer! Shorts and tank tops came out of our closets. In a few days we’ll go back to clouds and rain, but for the time being I wanted to soak it all up. So on my way home I got off the bus at Greenbank Farm, slipped through the gate and climbed the grassy hills. A stiff breeze stirred the tall grasses like waves on the bay. I had almost two hours to explore before catching the next bus so I ventured beyond my usual tour of the meadows and entered the woods. The woodland trails are closed in the fall for hunting so it’s nice to take a turn around the forest loop in summer. Tall rhododendrons were blooming by the trail. A sprinkling of starry white flowers floated above the forest floor. Just off the trail were the enormous stumps left after logging a century ago with a springboard hole on one side. Salal stuck out the top like an outrageous hairdo. Some large fir trees still stand, dropping cones for the next generation. Re-entering the meadow on the east side of the hill I saw the huge cargo ships that have been anchoring in Holmes Harbor. I walked to the barns and passed the pie shop, normally an irresistible attraction but closed at this hour. Around the corner the observation deck offered a good view of the wetland behind the barn. Images of the birds one might see from that spot are posted on the railing. A red-winged blackbird called from the willows nearby. I walked around the pond with the Native Plant garden and the golden chain tree in full bloom. Canada Geese herded their young away as I approached. I stopped to admire the lovely gardens managed by the WSU Master Gardeners. Rose, iris and many other blossoms enchanted the paths and trellises. Across the parking lot, facing south, is the solar pea patch. This is a community solar project that provides electricity for a car charging station as well as some of the buildings at the Farm. Beyond the solar panels are acres of sunny hillside with trails mowed through the tall grass. This is the off-leash dog park that attracts dogs and humans alike. Many dog owners come here daily. The people and their dogs greet one another like an extended family. Dogs on the forest trails or the barn area must be on a leash and aggressive dogs should stay home so that everyone here feels comfortable and safe. Greenbank Farm was a dairy farm once. Then it became a loganberry farm. Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery bought it and proposed a housing development with views of the water and mountains to both the east and west. But community activists put a stop to that. The Nature Conservancy, the Trust for Public Land, Island County, the Port of Coupeville and the Whidbey Camano Land Trust worked together to preserve this historic landmark. Now we have public access to the 500-acre farm and four miles of trails through the woods and across the hills. The historic barns have been preserved and opened for business with a cheese shop, art galleries, a café and pie shop, with the land trust offices upstairs. There’s a playground and picnic tables near the barns and a dog water dish for the canine companions. It’s a wonderful place to roam free, through fields or forest, through formal gardens or wild wetlands. It’s a good place to see a sunrise or sunset over the Cascades or the Olympics, or to just soak up the sun on a summer afternoon. Here’s a map of the trails. Saturday is National Trails Day. I was thinking about the most memorable trails I’ve walked, the Appalachian Trail, the Great Allegheny Passage and the C&O Canal Bike Path, the trail to the Tiger’s Nest in Bhutan. But I also appreciate the trails close to home that I can walk every day, on my lunch break or after work. They help me stay healthy and sane and keep me in touch with the seasons. We’re fortunate to have so many wonderful places to explore here and so many organizations and volunteers that help keep these trails accessible for us all. As we take a hike this weekend let's offer a hand if we can. Collect some beach litter, kick a few sticks off the trail, or introduce someone else to a trail close to home. Maribeth Directions: Greenbank is about halfway between Clinton and Coupeville on Whidbey Island. From Highway 525, turn east on to E Wonn Road to get to the main Greenbank Farm parking area. Or drive about a half mile north along Highway 525 and pull out on the east side of the road.
Transit: Island Transit Route 1 stops where Smugglers Cove Road meets Highway 525. A gate allows entry to the meadows. Please close the gate behind you. Accessibility: The barns, shops and gardens are a nice place for those with limited mobility.
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Maribeth Crandell has been a hiking guide in the Pacific NW for over 20 years. She's lived on Whidbey and Fidalgo Island for decades. As a frequent bus rider she easily makes connections between trails and transit. Archives by date
April 2024
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