I love football. Super Bowl Sunday is an excellent day to take a hike on the most popular trail on Whidbey Island. A strong wind blew the clouds away and unveiled a brilliant blue sky. So off I went with my lunch and a thermos of tea. There were far fewer cars in the parking lot than I’d normally see on a sunny weekend. I cheered the football gods for distracting so many people on this spectacular day. I needed this dose of sunshine. The steep climb was invigorating. As I hiked I met dog walkers, joggers, and visitors, as well as locals. Everyone wore a smile. People often ask me, “What’s your favorite trail?” I think most of us would answer “Ebey’s Bluff”. It’s one of the most stunning places in Puget Sound. I feel blessed to live nearby. But my relationship to this trail has changed over time. I’ve lived on Whidbey for over 20 years and have visited the Bluff in every season, alone, with guests, in celebration, in grief, with sun baking my shoulders, or a cold wind on my face. I’ve seen whales moving just off shore, stood eye to eye with eagles, watched hard working tugs, cruise ships, ferries, sailboats, even hang-gliders from here. On a clear day I've seen Mount Rainier, Mount Baker and Mount Olympus and I know I'm in the center of the universe. Still, I’ve changed, and the trail has changed, and the people that come to walk the trail have changed. It’s an ever evolving relationship between people and places. When people ask, “What’s your favorite trail?” they’re probably expecting me to say, “Ebey’s Bluff”. But I’ve walked the Bluff on days when there are too many tourists and I feel like an outsider. I’ve seen people try to drive their cars along the Ridge Trail out to the Bluff. I’ve seen cars parked all the way up Hill Road and the beach flooded with visitors. Our feet tear at the grasses. People getting off-trail on the soft slope can do a lot of damage. On those days, Ebey’s Bluff is not my favorite trail. It’s in danger of being loved to death. Then again, I think it’s nothing short of miraculous that we have this trail and that it’s so well-tended. Ebey’s Landing National Historic Reserve is a unique partnership of our National Park Service, Washington State Parks, Island County and the Town of Coupeville. We see this trail as one 5 mile loop, but it crosses different properties owned by different jurisdictions that work together to maintain it and allow us access. There are restrooms, interpretive panels, stairs, fences, plowed fields, wind whipped forests, beaches, lagoons and it all makes up this spectacular place. Property was donated by private land owners, bought by non-profits and government agencies to make up the whole. Neighboring farmers signed easements to preserve the prairie that remains very similar to what early pioneers saw 150 years ago. It took decades for all this to come about and it keeps expanding. I’ve heard stories of how close it came to becoming another row of waterfront condos and Joni Mitchell’s song comes to mind, “You don’t know what you’ve got till its’ gone.” The natural and cultural history of this place is significant but there’s far more to this story than can be told here. The Jacob Ebey cabin along the Ridge Trail houses interpretive exhibits and is staffed by volunteers in the summer and on holiday weekends. You could also read about it on trail side interpretive panels, partake in a park program, or study their website. Suffice it to say that Ebey’s Landing National Historic Reserve has done us all a great service in preserving this place and allowing us access. Hopefully, we’ll be able to preserve this cherished place for generations to come. Mb Directions:
There are two entrances to the Ebey's Bluff Trail. Coming from the Coupeville Ferry on Engle Road, turn left on Hill Road which leads to the parking area on the beach. Or take Main Street south from the stop light in Coupeville, which turns into Engle Road. Turn right on Hill Road to park at the beach parking area. Bring your Discover Pass or park along the road. Or from Highway 20 just north of Coupeville, take Sherman Road south to Cemetery Road and park at the end of the lane next to the offices of Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve. Taking this route you'll pass the historic Jacob Ebey cabin and blockhouse. The Ebey family and other early pioneers are buried at the Sunnyside Cemetery on Cemetery Road. For a map and more details visit: www.nps.gov/ebla/planyourvisit/upload/050514-Trails-Map.pdf
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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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