“It’s your birthday. Where do you want to go?” “Have you ever been to the trails between Lone Lake and Goss Lake Roads, across from Putney Woods?” “No, I’ve never been there. Have you?” “Not yet. Let’s go.” In the words of Winnie the Pooh, it will be an explore. So we packed the dog into the car. She always wants to go and doesn’t seem to care where. It was a short drive. Then while Lee got the dog and her accoutrements ready, I took a photo of the map on the kiosk. Then we crossed Lone Lake Road, stepped between the concrete barriers and dipped into the trees on the other side. The sun slanted low that late afternoon and the thick woods softened the glow still more. Tall hedges of salal and evergreen huckleberry closed in on the narrow trail. Lee said, “This would be a good place to bring my mountain bike!” The idea of meeting a biker on this narrow trail filled me with dread. The only time I’d run into problems on any of the trails on Whidbey was when I encountered four people on mountain bikes zooming down the trails in Putney Woods. Fortunately, I heard them coming. “Whoo hoooo!” they called loud and clear. I had just enough time to step off the trail between tall shrubs before they went whizzing by. Each in turn caught of glimpse of me standing in the bushes as they passed and said, “OH!” I could only imagine what might happen when they came upon the equestrians I had passed earlier, or the man with his small daughter. I cautioned Lee about mountain biking where there is so little visibility. Then we came upon the moguls. Apparently others felt as Lee did, that this would be a good place for mountain biking! Lee told me some people put bells on their bikes to warn people ahead. “Like bear bells,” she said. Really? We followed the Mistletoe Loop around to the far side and then turned onto the trail out toward Goss Lake Road. The forest opened up with knee high sword ferns instead of head high salal as we approached the end. We stepped out onto the road across from a street sign that read Traverse. Concrete blocks also marked this entrance. We turned and re-entered the woodland. This was an interesting explore. Back at the Mistletoe Loop we turned south and continued hiking back toward Lone Lake Road. Soft pine trees brushed the brilliant blue sky as an eagle circled lazily overhead. Tree tops sang with dozens of tweeters, chickadee dee dee. We met a couple who stopped to admire Lee’s dog before they passed on. In about an hour we had finished and met just one other hiker setting out as our walk came to an end. There are so many trails at Putney Woods and they connect to trails at Metcalf Woods and Saratoga Woods. You could probably walk all day from one to the other and back if you wanted. Most of them are well marked and well maintained with only a few muddy spots thanks to a crew of volunteers. So many people use these trails, on foot, on horseback and on bikes. If we keep that in mind, we might all be able to enjoy them without mishap and celebrate many more birthdays to come. “Whoo hoooooo!” Maribeth Take a photo of the map at the kiosk before you set out on the trails. Directions: From Hwy 525 at Bayview turn north toward Langley on Bayview Road 1.8 miles. Then turn left onto Andreason Road. At the next stop sign turn right on Lone Lake Road. In about a mile you'll see the parking lot on the right. The trailhead to this section is across Lone Lake Road.
By Bus and Bike: The closest bus stop is at the Bayview Park and Ride at Hwy 525. Two bikes fit on a bus bike rack on a first come first served basis. Bayview Road is fairly level, has wide shoulders and slower speeds. Andreason and Lone Lake Roads have less traffic. Please wear bright clothes and use lights when riding with traffic. Mobility: This trail is mostly level with few roots and rocks but very narrow. Watch out for mountain bikers, and equestrians.
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Quiet. That is the first thing I notice every time I step off the Guemes Island ferry. The island is quiet. Kath, Murphy, and I walked west from the ferry a mile and a half along nearly deserted roadways to Dog Woods Park. An occasional car would go by, the driver offering a friendly wave to us as they passed. Then there would be silence. Not a sound to be heard, except maybe the song of a sparrow in a field, or – just silence, the silence of wide-open skies, rural meadows, and shadowed woodlands. Entering Dog Woods, we saw that many improvements have occurred since our last visit a year ago. A bulletin board welcomed us with stories and maps. Parking has been expanded. New trail signs pointed to our hiking route. We let Murphy off his leash and hiked north on Frog Forest Trail. Surprises lay in wait! The owners of this private land have a passion for restoring its natural habitat, and a flair for making explorations fun. A forest of short blue tubes protected new native plantings where weeds once thrived. Lively frog ponds abound alongside the trail. A colorfully painted plaque rested against a large sitting stone. We came to a bench overlooking Waldo Pond and had to sit down and quote Thoreau. I was photographing the reflection of trees in one pond when Kath said “Sasquatch.” Wait, what? You just never know what you might find around here. The slightly raised trail meanders through alders with their buds emerging, then enters cedar groves and fir forests. Hobbit’s Hollow features a tall hemlock standing like an octopus atop a humongous decaying stump. Further on a sign leads to a tree requesting hugs. Not far beyond is a sculpture featuring a gathering* of owls. Read the artist’s name, Leo, then look at the backside for another amazing surprise. I gasped. A pair of Adirondack chairs, arranged as if for a Cialis commercial, awaits hikers in meaningful dells and glades throughout the trails. Sit, rest, meditate, and hold hands if you’re with a partner. These forests host an extremely rare vegetation type, a globally endangered habitat, with paper birch as a dominant species. I leave it to you to find them (check out the pictures below) but most especially I hope you find the birch and cedar wrapped around each other several times like lovers in a Kama sutra pose. There are nearly three miles of trails to explore at Dog Woods, with plenty of pleasures to discover, and new ones in the works, I am sure. The work to restore the woods continues, as does the celebration of creativity and life. Too soon we found ourselves back at the entrance. The joy and good feelings of our experience lingered long after we said goodbye. We strolled back down West Shore Road to Kelly’s Point trailhead, then onto the beach to walk back to the ferry. The gravelly shoreline became sandy, giving Murphy a fun place to chase after a ball. Mergansers and buffleheads dove for food offshore; we passed folks walking dogs, and watched the commercial boat traffic along Guemes Channel, including our ferry heading back to Guemes, which fortunately didn’t arrive until after we had purchased a Nutella cream-cheese chocolate brownie at the Guemes Island Store. Now that’s a good way to end this hike and this story. jack For more information about Dog Woods, visit https://dogwoods.info/ * The next time someone gives me a wink and a nudge and says, “Did you know that a group of owls is called a ‘parliament’?” I’m going to respond, “Did you know that anyone who believes that is part of a ‘gaggle of gullibles’?" Directions: From 6th and I in Anacortes, take the Guemes Ferry to Guemes Island, then walk west along the beach if the tide is right, or along the roads that parallel the beach, to Kelly's Point, then follow West Shore Road up about a quarter mile to Dog Woods.
By bike: Guemes Island is ideal for bicycles, with rolling hills and quiet, friendly roads. Mobility: The trails are mostly flat, and we found very little mud along the raised trails, but they are narrow, and there are occasional roots or other minor obstacles that must be dealt with. I see bumper stickers in town that say, “Keep Little Cranberry Wild.” Wild – there’s an interesting word. We talk about wildlife and wild lands (as opposed to tame, I guess). What does wild mean? The Wilderness Act defines it as lands “untrammeled by man,” without permanent improvements, where man is a visitor. Is Little Cranberry Lake wild? Is it our intention to have it truly wild? The Anacortes management plan for the ACFL states that the ACFL lands “… will be managed to conserve and enhance their unique environment and wildlife habitat while maintaining recreational opportunities for residents.” Does Little Cranberry do that? With these guidelines, should a kayak launch be added? Should boats or trails be allowed at all, as some have suggested? The lake is not wild or truly natural, as a large earthen dam at its northern end has changed the morphology and lakeshore considerably. But given this intrusion, the wild returns anyway. Kath and I ventured to the north end of the lake after lunch this past Sunday to hike around the lake, as we do once a month or so, and to look for the wild at Cranberry . Open eyes were a challenge -- the day was cold, rain spitting at times, the wind roaring with power in the canopy, and whipping up waves on the lake. We tightened our hats and coats. Springtime was fighting the cold with all the joy it could muster, with buds opening, osoberry blooming, mosses glistening, and wildlife returning. Golden-crowned kinglets flitted right beside us among the lakeshore bushes. A goldeneye hunted the lake’s depths. But little else moved. We walked south on the west side of the lake, mostly in silence as I was getting over a sore throat. The trail had slippery rocks and muddy patches to dance around. The stream at the south end gurgled with intensity. The trail along the south shore has been closed for some time now to give wildlife some breathing room in the wetlands. We left the lakeshore to climb through the woods along Trail 105 to Big Beaver Pond. Kath and I faced each other to talk about the wilderness emotion the lake evokes. I stared beyond to see a huge river otter shimmying clumsily over a log and then slipping back into the water near the beaver dam. The sight was magical, as was its timing! We both just stood in awe. To emphasize the point, a male barred owl hooted an odd refrain, followed by a higher-pitched and clearer female response asking, “Who cooks for you-all?” They chatted several more times. This place is alive with wild! And this, a frigidly cold winter day. The pond near the beaver dam lay covered with duckweed, a new trail cut through it by the otter. The dam was holding, the beavers doing their thing in diversifying the health of Big Beaver. We returned along the eastern shore. The storm was keeping most people indoors on this March weekend, yet we met a woman sitting on a rock overlooking the lake, on holiday from England, visiting our town to go on weekly Orca cruises, and in these woods today to listen to music and see this amazing wilderness right in town. We shared about the gift of having the ACFL. “Brilliant!" she said. You know how Trail 102 goes: up and down on rocks and gravel, through the 2016 burn area, back into the large trees and wetlands at the northeast corner of the lake, then swinging back west toward the dam and parking area. We kept our eyes and ears open, marveling at the beauty and immensity of this lake and forest right here in our backyard, and grateful for all those who protect it for today and tomorrow. Let’s keep it wild. Directions: From Anacortes, from the roundabout at D Avenue and 32nd, go south around two curves to the parking lot along A Avenue. Or for the north end of the lake take 12th Street west to Georgia Avenue, and about four blocks up turn right on the one lane road at the sign leading to Little Cranberry Lake.
By Bus: Take the 410 bus west from downtown Anacortes to get as close as possible to the Georgia Avenue road, leaving about a mile walk up to the lake. By bike: the roads in Anacortes are hilly approaching the two trail access areas. The 12th Street road is busy with a narrow shoulder. There is less traffic to deal with to get to the A Avenue trailhead. Mobility: The trail at the Georgia Avenue access is graveled, flat, and wide, leading to a wooden overlook in about a quarter mile. The rest of the trails in this area are narrow, hilly, rocky, muddy, and a bit of a challenge. March comes in like a lion, but remember, last Friday? It was a sunny, spring-like day. Not quite spring, but close. A sneak peek. I caught the 411W bus to Deception Pass and stepped off at the store. I strolled by the gas station, passed through the parking lot, and slipped out the back into Quarry Pond campground. Like stepping through the wardrobe, I felt like I’d entered a different world. With just 90 minutes before I needed to catch the bus back, I walked steadily to the left until I came to the trailhead and entered the forest. Tall trees shaded the sun as I followed the signs to the Discovery Trail. I noted that this was also the route of the Pacific Northwest Trail between the coast of Washington and Glacier National Park in Montana. But today, I had a less ambitious goal, to climb to the summit of Goose Rock. There are different routes one can take to Goose Rock. The Perimeter Trail follows the north edge of Cornet Bay and then spirals up the north side. But I took the Discovery Trail and then turned on to the Summit trail for a more direct approach. I’d been in hibernation all winter and needed some exercise. The steep ascent got my heart thumping. I stuffed my hat into my pack, tied my coat around my waist and kept climbing. In a half mile I realized the trail had leveled off a bit. I was almost there. Suddenly the canopy opened up and there was blue sky overhead! A split rail fence appeared trailing off to the east. A couple sat not far away, so I turned west and had the rocky summit to myself. Sitting to catch my breath, I sipped some water and stuck my face into the sun. To the east the icy summits of the Cascades rose above the clouds. To the south the highway snaked toward town. To the west I watched a boat approach little Deception Island. And to the northwest another small boat was passing Sares Head in Sharp Park. In the distance the San Juan Islands and Olympic Mountains beckoned and teased. Such a beautiful day, I had to remind myself it was still February! A cool breeze reminded me it’s not quite spring. After a while, more hikers arrived. I smiled and took my leave to give them the same solitary summit experience I’d enjoyed. What goes up, must come down. I reversed my route and was soon descending the steep slopes I’d so recently climbed thinking, “Why do I always forget my walking stick?” I passed a few hikers, one with a nice dog. We stopped for a moment to chat and then journeyed on. My walk down went much faster than my climb up. Soon I was back on the gentle Discovery Trail walking at an easy pace. I noticed subtle things along the way, shelf fungus on a rotting stump, a snag full of woodpecker holes, the constant songs of kinglets and chickadees around me. I looked for skunk cabbage but didn’t see any… yet. I still had plenty of time to get an ice cream at the store before going to the bus stop at Cornet Bay Road. Maribeth For a park map click here: Directions: Highway 20 goes over Deception Pass Bridge between Whidbey and Fidalgo Islands. Just south of the bridge park your vehicle at the park office, or get off the bus at the store, and find the well-marked trails just off the back of the parking lot. You may also park at the south side of the bridge with a Discover Pass.
By Bus or Bike: A good way to avoid the summer traffic jams is to take the bus. Island Transit offers fare free bus service 7 days a week. The 411W Northbound bus stops at the store just south of Deception Pass bridge. You can catch this bus at Harbor Station in Oak Harbor. Or catch the southbound 411W at March’s Point park and ride near Anacortes. The southbound bus stops at the Cornet Bay intersection, so cross at the light and walk to the store to start your hike from the back of the parking lot. See the bus schedule here: Two bikes can fit on a bus bike rack on a first come first served basis. Cyclists use this route riding on the shoulder, but please walk your bike if you’re crossing over Deception Pass Bridge. Wear bright clothes and use your lights as this is a heavily traveled road. Mobility: The Quarry Pond campground has a picnic table at the pond and paved roads through the campground. The Discovery Trail is gentle, but the Summit Trail is steep with roots and rocks. A hiking stick is helpful. |
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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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