On the bus on my way home, I decided to go for a walk. It was a warm, sunny day. I pulled the cord, the bus stopped, and I stepped out at South Whidbey State Park. I had only taken a few steps when I heard a curious commotion. A dog was wailing, and another was barking. As I came around the corner into the parking lot, I saw 3 women with their dogs. They put one into a crate in a car and led another up to the picnic shelter. Both the women and the dogs seemed very purposeful. I inquired and they explained. They were doing nose work (which is entirely different than a nose job). These hounds were being trained to sniff out certain scents that had been hidden in advance. It was fascinating to watch as one dog after another went through the course, sniffing around, narrowing it down, finding the source, and getting a reward. What wonderful noses to be able to sort out all the scents at a park and find the one left on a little tab for them to find. Good dog! Just as I left the dogs and their trainers, I turned to find an old friend. She had a new hip and came to the park to do three laps around the parking lot. As she started her walk, I met a young woman with a bulging backpack. She was getting in shape for bigger adventures in the mountains this summer. Instead of counting steps, she was counting miles. I turned down the shady campground road. Friends of mine had joined the Friends of Whidbey State Parks and adopted trails here. I had just become an official volunteer here, myself. I adopted the old campground loop that's now closed to camping and traffic, but open for people. After bringing a friend in a wheelchair last year and finding how much she enjoyed getting out into the woods on the wide, paved road, I determined to help keep it clear for others who need a gentler way to experience this forest. I didn’t do any work that day. I just walked familiar trails meeting others who were outside enjoying our sudden summer. At the Hobbit tree, I crossed the road to take the Wilbert Trail. Some of us have favorite parks or trails. I have a favorite tree. A huge cedar over 500 years old. There is one that has its own sign saying Ancient Cedar. People bring special rocks to leave before the tree. But it’s not the only ancient cedar in this park. And there are monstrous Douglas fir trees with blackened bark from a long-ago fire. And huge Sitka spruce with their flaky bark that are rare in most parts of the Island. Multi-trunked big leaf maples, red alders and grand firs, fill out the canopy. Wildflowers are at their peak. Twin flowers carpeted parts of the forest floor. Buttercups and foam flower dotted the side of the trail. A white foxglove stood ghost-like alone. I heard osprey, purple finch, chickadees, towhees, pine siskins, robins, and the bright yellow Wilson’s warbler. Cedar waxwings with their high-pitched peeps surrounded me among the salmonberries. I searched the leafy canopy and caught only a glimpse of these fine feathered friends. The call of the Swainson’s thrush says the day is done and it’s time to head home. Standing by the bus stop I read the interpretive sign dedicated to the people in the community that saved this forest from destruction in 1970’s. An older couple came off the Discovery Trail and proudly pointed to their friend’s picture on the sign. It’s hard to believe that this forest would be gone had it not been for them. Ranger Drew stopped by on his rounds. Next time, I promised him, I would bring my tools and do some park work. That’s what Friends are for. For details on becoming a Friend of Whidbey State Parks click here. Maribeth Address: 4128 S. Smugglers Cove Road, Freeland, WA 98249
Directions: From the stop light in Freeland, go north on Highway 525, turn left onto Bush Point Road. Drive 5 miles. The park entrance will be on your left. Or from Coupeville, take Highway 20 south 10 miles to Greenbank Farm and turn right onto Smuggler’s Cove Road. Drive 5 miles and the park entrance will be on your right. By Bus or Bike: For cyclists, Smuggler's Cove Road has wide shoulders but high speeds so wear something bright. Island Transit’s fare free Bus Route 1 will take you to the park on Smuggler’s Cove Road. Bikes and wheelchairs can be carried on a bus. Visit: https://www.islandtransit.org/ or call 360-678-7771 for bus schedules. Mobility: The Old Campground Loops are paved and accessible by wheelchair or mobility devices. There are some hills. Enter just to the left side of the restrooms. The Discovery Trail and the trails across the road have steps, roots, rocks and some steep spots throughout.
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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
March 2024
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