If you like dogs, this Hike of the Week is for you. I was at home on a rainy day this week wondering where I could go for a walk that wouldn't be wet. As I went north I didn't have to go far before the clouds parted at Greenbank Farm. Signs warned that it's hunting season in the woods, so I climbed the hill into the open fields and met the locals, many of which are four legged. This is the biggest off leash dog park on Whidbey Island and many of these dogs and their owners come here daily. It's a great place for people, too. Greenbank is unique in that you can sit on a comfortable seat at the top of the hill and see the water on both sides of the island. Whether you like sunrises or sunsets, you'll enjoy the view. You can also see a field full of solar collectors. Some of the energy from these solar panels charges an electric car charging station at the farm. So if you have an electric vehicle, plug in and drive guilt free! Or come by bus. There's a bus stop at the end of Smuggler's Cove Road and a gate in the farm fence so you can step from the bus right into the fields. And if you have a support animal or a small dog in a carrier, you can bring Fifi on the bus, too. Please pick up after your dog(s) and bring a leash as the area near the barns is not off-leash. The best part about taking a walk at Greenbank Farm (in my humble opinion) is that when you're done, there are water dishes for your canine companions near the barns and a pie shop for folks like me! A cheese shop, wine shop and galleries lure locals and visitors to the big red historic barns. This is also the home of the Whidbey Camano Land Trust. There's a playground with swings and picnic tables, a pond full of ducks and behind the pie shop is a wetland with a viewing platform for bird-watching. The WSU Extension Master Gardeners have a demonstration garden near the pond. So there's a lot to see and do, and eat at Greenbank Farm. Directions: To get to Greenbank Farm take highway 525 south 10.7 miles from Coupeville or 8 miles north of Freeland. Pull off the highway at the pet gate just north of the Farm, or take Wonn Road east to the big red barns. Or you can take the Route 1 bus (except Sundays) and ask for the stop at Smugglers Cove Road. Wear bright clothes to flag down the bus. See the schedule at www.islandtransit.org/
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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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