When I gave my first book release party for Hiking Close to Home in September of 2019, I showed images of over 50 trails and spoke of experiences I’d had on each one. At the end someone asked, “What’s your favorite trail?” As you can imagine, I get that question a lot. It changes with the weather, my energy level, and if I'm alone or with others. My answer that day was Hoypus Point. It’s a little known trail at Deception Pass State Park. I explained that years ago when I lived in Anacortes and worked in Oak Harbor, I commuted over the bridge by bus almost daily. But when I had breast cancer and was undergoing chemo, I opted to drive. When I approached the park at the end of my work day I would crave a walk in a peaceful natural setting but my energy level was low. Thinking through the options, Hoypus Point was often my trail of choice. It’s just a mile long, paved, flat and quiet. It was once a road to an old ferry dock. But when Jack Hartt was the park manager, he closed it to vehicle traffic. That made it a wonderful walk for people, especially people like me, people without much energy, people with mobility issues, or people who just want a relaxing walk on a quiet road with views of the water. Hoypus Point is a well kept secret. Last Saturday I was coming back to Whidbey after a long laborious day on the mainland. I'd planned to meet Jack for a picnic dinner and attend a concert at the park amphitheater. But I was an hour early. The bridge was swarming with tourists parking alongside the road and leaning over the water taking selfies. I inched through it all and then turned left at the light. Driving to the end of Cornet Bay Road I encountered the same frenetic activity around the marina and the boat launch. It’s August in the most visited State Park in Washington and the salmon are running. But I found a place to park in the back corner among the boat trailers. At the trailhead I passed through a gate. It was as if I’d entered Narnia. There was no one in sight. Walking slowly the hustle and bustle of cars and trucks, boats and trailers faded away. I noticed the cow parsnip in bloom, the cedar waxwings calling from the tree tops, the shimmering blue water through the branches of the madronas leaning out over the beach. An elderly woman with a walking stick passed with her dog. A young couple approached on bikes with a little girl trailing behind. "They should wait for her," I thought. But when she passed me she was cheerily singing to herself, happy to be on her own. Then I was on my own all the way to the end, stopping to look back at the bridge and listen for birds. At the end of the old road I looked out over the water and realized I could see some of the other hikes in our book. There was Mount Erie to the north and directly east was Flagstaff Point at Kukutali Preserve. I sat quietly and was visited by a chipmunk for a moment. Then it dashed off like a shot. A private little beach lay just beyond the road end but high tide hadn’t left much wiggle room for exploring. Then I heard voices quite close. Along came a group of kayakers a few yards from shore. I turned and walked alongside them back to the trailhead, they moving silently in the water and me slipping quietly through the trees. I passed a few more walkers on my way out, but the crazy activity of the bridge and the boat launch had left Hoypus Point unscathed. And that is why one of my favorite hikes is still Hoypus Point. Let's just keep that to ourselves, shall we? Maribeth PS Here's a map of the park. Directions: Just south of Deception Pass Bridge turn east at the light onto Cornet Bay Road. Drive 1.5 miles to the end and park near the boat launch. The trail continues east for 1 mile on the old road.
Mobility: This old paved road is mostly flat and offers an opportunity for people with mobility challenges to enjoy a walk or roll in a beautiful natural setting. Transit: Island Transit stops at the intersection of Highway 20 and Cornet Bay Road. It is a mile and a half from there to the trailhead. Comments are closed.
|
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
|