It was a steep climb and a hot day when we started up the Dorothy Cleveland Trail at Possession Beach Waterfront Park. We had just eaten our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at a picnic table overlooking the beach. Other nearby tables were occupied by families grilling burgers and celebrating mom. It was a bright, sunny afternoon and unusually warm for the middle of May. I was grateful for the breeze coming off of the water. Crossing the footbridge at the trailhead, we stopped to study the map on the kiosk. That’s when we noticed the mosquitoes, so we started off at a brisk pace. The trail weaves and dips and soon emerges onto Franklin Road, a lightly used dirt road that services a few waterfront homes and nearby Possession Point State Park. But the trail begins again on the other side of the road so we crossed and continued. The hillside was lush and green with knee high ferns and hip high nettles. The alder and maple canopy provided a green parasol overhead shading us from the sun’s intensity as we kept climbing. There were benches and bridges and branches over muddy spots that seemed to have just recently dried up. Bird song and the sound of trickling water serenaded our stroll. A flight of stairs helped get us up the steepest section. Then the trail forked. Yogi Berra said, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” So we did. I went one way and my friend went the other. We soon met on the top of the ridge at a most surprising landmark… a water fountain. It looked like it belonged on a street corner or in a city park, but here it was in the woods. More surprising still, it actually worked! On top of the ridge, the trail circled around a large maple with a sturdy bench beneath it. Another twist of trail headed over to a large cedar, and other trails headed to nearby homes. We soon headed down again and were accosted by a furious woodpecker, who told us in no uncertain terms, that we had better be gone! Okay! Okay! We’re leaving! We managed to avoid the nettles but not the mosquitoes that were hungry for our bare arms and legs. Returning to the beach, the breeze brought some relief from our bug bites and we finished our hike with a refreshing view of the water. Later I read about Dorothy Cleveland. Those who have lived on Whidbey Island a long time will remember how she was a central figure on South Whidbey before her death in January of 2000. She was a member of the Port Commission so it seemed appropriate for a trail at this park, owned by the Port of South Whidbey, to bear her name. She was also a member of the League of Women Voters, the Langley City Council, the Langley Planning Commission, the Friends of the Langley Library, involved in the Island County Fair, the Historical Society, the Puget Sound Council of Governments, the Solid Waste Task Force, the National Association of Business and Professional Women, and so much more. She was instrumental in starting Island Transit where I work now, so I can thank her for my job. She was a force to be reckoned with. As it was Mother’s Day I found myself reflecting on my own mom. She passed away ten years ago, but she set me on the path I walk today. Like Dorothy Cleveland, she volunteered with several organizations. She was a gardener and my Girl Scout leader. She taught me the birds at the backyard feeder and the plants along our trail to school. As a family we camped all over the country. Mom instilled in me a love and understanding of nature that has shaped my life and brought me joy beyond measure. Thanks mom. Directions: from Highway 525 at Ken's Korner Shopping Center in Clinton, turn south on Cultus Bay Road and drive 6.7 miles to Possession Beach Waterfront Park. (Cultus Bay Road turns into Possession Point Road.) Look for the sign near the end of the road.
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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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