Peering through the tall trees, the blue water framed by silver driftwood was inviting. But I decided to save the beach for last. Instead, I turned to walk the Bluff Trail which led me by underground spotting stations with views across the water and on to the camouflaged gun battery. Unlike Fort Casey that was built before airplanes were invented, Fort Ebey is well hidden from the water and the air. Constructed during WWII the fort was built to guard the entrance of Puget Sound. But the only shots fired were those for practice. Now the guns are gone, and the battery is empty. The fort echoes with the sounds of people exploring the twists and turns of the tunnels. An interpretive panel outside shows a diagram of the primary battery. I stopped there briefly to take in the sweeping view over the water toward the Olympic Mountains. It was late afternoon. The grassy field below was scorched by weeks of hot, dry days. The sun bore down on this west facing slope. I was about to continue on the Bluff Trail, but a very slow-moving group started on the narrow trail ahead of me. It made me pause. Why not take a new route? I turned around. Just beyond the restrooms was a trail that led… I had no idea where, but I was out to explore. Venturing into the woods, I came upon a sign that said Water Tower which piqued my curiosity. As I approached, it emerged out of the trees like some forgotten fortress. Thick timbers crossed to form a tall, angled structure. It stood silent, stately, a manmade thing hidden by the forest. From there I walked weaving through second growth forest with very little underbrush. Gradually, native rhododendrons filled the understory catching the light through the lacey canopy. Then salal crept in and formed thick hedges on both sides of the trail. I took the lovely Raider’s Creek trail along a cool shady ravine lined with ferns. Tall alders and cottonwoods stretched overhead. Bird songs cascaded down from the treetops to the berry bushes by the trail. Chickadees, juncos, kinglets peeped. Ravens croaked, towhees called, and flickers barked. A Pacific wren sang its long, sweet song. A woodpecker drilled nearby. I crept up with my camera ready. It darted to the other side of the tree. Like so much of this hike, just out of sight, hidden from view. I stumbled upon the wide, Old Entrance Road, with a leafy canopy arching overhead. As the sun came slanting between the trees, I saw below me a sparkling pond. The path guided me to it where a boardwalk led me back toward the trailhead, but I turned the other way to circle the pond. A sign saying PNT reminded me that this is part of the Pacific Northwest Trail connecting hikers from the coast of Washington to Montana. I’ve met PNT thru-hikers that walked the beach from the Coupeville ferry up to this trail. From here they go over the island to the Deception Pass Bridge, through the Anacortes Community Forest Lands and continue going east. I saw no one that day but followed the trail by the pond for a peaceful view over lily pads toward a distant dock. Though I was well away from the beach, I could hear a foghorn’s mournful cry, then the clang of a buoy. Climbing up from the pond to the bluff, I scared a family of quail. As I passed, the little chicks hid in the wild rose thicket. Returning to the beach, I found myself with people again. A couple were crabbing from kayaks. A man threw a branch for his dog. Others leaned against the driftwood to soak up the sun. I took the trail from the beach back to my car with a long look over my shoulder, peering through the tall trees, gazing at the blue waters. Maribeth There are 25 miles of hiking and biking trails here so if you'd like a map, click here. Directions: From Highway 20, four miles north of Coupeville, turn west on Libbey Road. Turn left onto Hill Valley Drive which leads into the park.
Bus and Bike: The Route 6 Island Transit bus stops at the corner of Libbey and West Beach Road, about a mile from the park entrance. The Route 1 bus stops at the corner of Libbey and Highway 20, about a mile and a half from the park entrance. The park entrance road is hilly with no shoulder but low traffic. Mobility: These trails are narrow but mostly a gentle grade and well maintained. They are not suitable for someone who uses a mobility device.
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
March 2024
Categories
All
|