I wanted to be in Langley by 7, so I thought, why not go early and stop by Putney Woods for an evening stroll. There was still some heat in the day. The arch at the trailhead was shimmering in the late afternoon sun. I took a picture of the trail map on the kiosk. I’d been here enough to know there's a maze of trails and it would be easy to get lost, which is fun when you have the time. But this evening I had just an hour and a half. Studying the map, I decided to go toward the Metcalf Woods as I’d not traveled that way before. Putney Woods is over 600 acres and it’s connected to Saratoga Woods, another 100 acres. Add Metcalf Woods and you have 15 miles of trails to explore. I’d met equestrians on these trails before, but not this evening. It was quiet. From the Trail of the Wild Fell, to the Canter Berry Trail, to the Coyote and Wile E. Coyote Trail, I walked in solitude and silence. At the start the trail is wide and smooth. Parts of the forest were thick with undergrowth, salal, ferns and evergreen huckleberry. But some sections were void of underbrush. The forest floor was littered with logs lying at odd angles like in a game of pick-up-sticks. A breeze brushed the treetops swishing branches this way and that under a blue summer sky. As I continued the trail narrowed with dense hedges on each side. I couldn’t see very far ahead. But I heard voices and came upon a couple at a trail intersection studying their map. I did the same referring to the photo on my phone at every trail crossing. With a quick greeting we went separate ways. I took the Spider Web and then Stix Varia and kept walking on to the North Leg Saratoga Loop. Something was coming down a steep hill just ahead. A mountain biker applied the brakes as he came around the corner, surprised to see me but smiling. He was off again in a moment. This end of the forest has some slope to it with larger cedars and firs. A junco hopped among downed logs. A chickadee sang out from the salal. A spotted Towhee sent a warning from the brush. I heard a nuthatch and a woodpecker high up in the trees. The owner of the private land on the south edge of the woods had signed the property saying basically, you may walk here if you stay on the trails. And if you get hurt, that’s on you. Seems reasonable. I appreciate their willingness to share this woodland with us. The Whidbey Camano Land Trust helped protect these woods. Island County owns it now and maintains it with help from the Backcountry Horsemen and other volunteers. It’s a community effort. As I came to another trail crossing, I found a mountain biker just stopping to read the sign. He said he enjoyed trying to figure out where he was without a map. But he wasn’t on a schedule. For me it was getting late. I picked up the pace and circled back on the South Leg of the Saratoga Loop. The sun was low. I was walking fast, until I saw a brown creeper on the side of a large fir tree. It zig-zagged upward pecking at the bark as it went. I heard an owl call in the distance, which reminded me to move on. Surrounded by tall evergreen shrubs I was thinking I'm glad we don’t have to worry about lions and tigers and bears, when a huge beast appeared! The biggest, friendliest puppy one would ever want to meet at twilight in the woods. I stepped aside to allow room for the enormous and energetic animal to pass. With a quick lick of my hand, we parted, a sweet end to my evening stroll. Maribeth For a trail map click here. Directions: From Highway 525 on South Whidbey, turn north at the light on Bayview Road. Drive 1.8 miles to Andreason Road and turn left. At the next stop sign, turn right on to Lone Lake Road. Within a mile you will see the large gravel parking lot on the right.
By Bike and Bus: The closest bus stop is at Bayview Park and Ride 3.6 miles away. You may bike the road which is mostly level, 40mph with a paved shoulder. Mobility: The trails closest to the parking area are the smoothest and most level, but trails get more narrow with more roots and steepness the farther you get from the trailhead.
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Authors
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
Categories
All
|