This Hike of the Week is close and yet a world away. Just a short stroll from the corner of Scott and Newman Road in Freeland lies a pocket of quiet and serenity. Take the bus or park near the old barn and then walk toward the trees to find the trail. The hum of nearby traffic is hushed as the trail leads to the waters edge under a canopy of alder and maples. Their leaves provide a crisp carpet underfoot. A log bench awaits with a view of the wetland. I'm struck by the cycles of life around me, the small trees planted as part of this wetland restoration, along side the huge old growth cedars that would take 3 or 4 to stretch their arms around. One giant stump from long ago logging has new growth on top with roots reaching over 4 feet to the ground. A few fallen alders and some still standing are providing homes to insects, birds and a Douglas Squirrel that jumped at my approach and then returned to have a word. Fungi grows on the base of a tree. Ferns that were fresh and green last spring, are turning yellow and withering, becoming compost for next year's growth. Even a short 15 minute walk is refreshing. As I return to the barn, a young deer watched me come out of the woods, cautious and curious, before joining it's mother and disappearing into the trees. One last moment of magic just out of sight of Main Street. Hiking Close to Home page 28. Join us here for a Work Party, 10-Noon, Saturday, Nov. 9. Bring your work gloves and yard tools, rakes, shovels and loppers, and join a team of dedicated volunteers from the Whidbey Watershed Stewards. Directions
Take Highway 525 to Freeland and turn onto Main Street at the light which turns into Scott Road on the east end. From Scott Road turn onto Newman Road for 500 feet. Look for the Freeland Wetland Preserve sign on the right. Or take the Route 1 bus (Mon-Sat) to the corner of Scott and Newman Road and walk about 500 feet to the preserve. There's a bus shelter on Scott Road about 600 feet from the Preserve.
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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
May 2024
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