Very cool! Island Transit has a new bus route that can take hikers right into Fort Ebey State Park, Fort Casey State Park and to the Ebey’s Landing trailhead to the Ebey’s Bluff Trail. But it’s only for the summer and not many know about it. So I decided to try it myself. Here’s what I learned. I caught the Route 1 Northbound from Freeland. As we neared Coupeville I told the driver I wanted to catch the Central Whidbey State Park bus. It’s a close connection between these buses at the Coupeville Park and Ride. The driver radioed ahead telling the next bus to wait for me. So tip number one, tell your bus driver where you want to go and they’ll help you get there. The next bus driver took me into Fort Ebey State Park. I asked to be let off at the entrance station, but told him to look for me at the Lake Pondilla parking lot when he came back in 90 minutes. Then I had to figure out how far I could hike in 90 minutes. I know how fast I walk on a sidewalk, but trails are slower. I take pictures, listen to birds, stop to enjoy flowers, and views of the water, and there are ups and downs, roots and rocks, etc. So I set out with a modest plan with options to add a short section if I had time at the end. I took the Old Gun Battery Road just up the hill from the entrance station, an easy walk passing the Hiker Biker campsite. The bus had turned down toward Lake Pondilla as I got off but here it was at the gun battery parking lot. I passed by and took the Bluff Trail looking into a thick fog bank, hearing buoy bells, fog horns and waves hit the beach below, but seeing only a white curtain. Turning into the forest the twisted trees told how hard the wind blows on the bluff. I circled the campground and took the Hokey-Ka-Dodo trail inland. Other trails presented themselves, but with a limited time, I stuck to my plan taking the Forest Run trail over to the Raiders Creek trail. That is my favorite trail in the park. It’s lush with a ravine on one side and a bank on the other. I walked flanked by sword ferns four feet high. As I reached the road, I crossed to take the Kyle’s Kettle Trail. A deer stepped out from behind a tree. A snag told of hungry woodpeckers hard at work. Several ravens were barking madly close together making a terrible raucous. A moment later I came upon some trees with scratch marks up over my head. Bear? Was that what the birds were so excited about? This park is plenty big to hide and feed a black bear. One had been seen on the north end a few weeks ago. I arrived at the Old Entrance Road and turned toward the lake. A few minutes later I was walking the narrow trail toward the water. Lily pads graced the surface. But I couldn’t linger. So I turned and climbed the hill to the Beach parking lot. No bus. I walked down to the end of the road around the corner. No bus. I walked up to the entrance station. No, Karen told me, the bus had left. It must have passed through my end of the park and gone up to the gun battery. So I went on another walk, found a spot in the sun to eat lunch, and then came out to the entrance station (which is also the exit station) to make sure I caught the next bus. I called Island Transit and the park staff to talk about it and they’d prefer we meet the bus at the Lake Pondilla or Beach parking area. But not all the drivers know this. It will take a while to work out the kinks. It’s cool to take a bus to a trailhead, but bring a lunch just in case. Maribeth To get the schedule for the Central Whidbey Parks bus click here. For a park trail map, ask at the entrance station. Directions: From Highway 20, 4 miles north of Coupeville, turn left on Libbey Road. Turn left on Hill Valley Drive which leads into the park.
By Bus and Bike: See the Island Transit bus route for the Central Whidbey State Parks here. Two bikes fit on a bus bike rack. Mountain biking is popular at this park and the adjoining Kettles Trails. Libbey Road is moderately traveled but there is no shoulder once you turn onto Hill Valley Road which twists and turns and is hilly so please wear something bright if you bike there. Be careful of RVers as you near the park. Mobility: The trail from the Beach parking area to Lake Pondilla is smooth and nearly level except at the end near the parking lot. The Old Entrance Road is smooth, almost level and wide with a small place to pull over where it meets the park road. Other trails are more challenging with roots, rocks, ups and downs. The gun battery is paved and level.
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
May 2024
Categories
All
|