Sand dunes. Picture the wind and waves at work to create over a mile of ridges, rows of ridges, like seating in a stadium overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca. In the busiest corner of Deception Pass State Park, apart from the bridge, you can find some of the greatest solitude, alone on a beach, amid the hillocks of grassy dunes, or wandering through forests of spruce, salal, and alder. Head south from the West Beach parking lot. The trail meanders between the primary dunes near the water and the secondary dunes further inland. The primary dunes support grasses and fledgling trees trying to establish toe holds in the shifting sand. The larger trees to the east are still only fifty to a hundred feet tall at most. And yet they have been here a long time – the oldest one is over 800 years old! Picture life here around the year 1219. Yeah, I can’t either. But life is all around us here. I like to wander the trail counterclockwise, going south along the trail near the beach, listening to surf and hopefully not the touch-and-go landings of the nearby jets. Then the walk through the dense woods back to the swimming beach shows how the dunes can eventually support what could be called an old-growth forest. Be aware of occasional trip hazards in the otherwise smooth, paved walkway. Look for the Wetland Overlook sign along the trail and take the short side trip to look out over what used to be part of Cranberry Lake, now filling in with moisture-loving plants and the animals who call this habitat home. Remember to have a Discover Pass if you park inside the state park. And enjoy one of the quietest beaches in the park, just a half-mile stroll from one of the busiest. jack Directions: From Highway 20 turn west into Deception Pass State Park at the Cornet Bay Road intersection at the north end of Whidbey Island. Follow signs to West Beach, about a mile from the park entrance. Trails parallel the roadway if you are on foot.
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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
March 2024
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