Ebey's Landing Trail ~ July 30, 2011

My husband and I went away to Whidbey Island for the weekend, alone, and hiked the Ebey's Landing Trail. It is a beautiful area! We parked on Cook Road in the parking area at the Ebey Prairie overlook, about 1:30pm (on a beautiful Saturday afternoon). We took the last spot there, but a lot of people were coming and going quickly. I think that some people were just there to check out the view.

The view from the Ebey Prairie lookout

After parking we followed the gravel/dirt road past fields for about a 1/2 mile.

A tribute to the Ebey family along the way to the Ebey homestead

Past fields of grain...

and squash...

You arrive at the Ebey homestead that has been just been opened this summer for the first time to visitors! Lots of historical information and pictures inside. It is open Thursday -Sunday through Labor Day from 10am - 4pm and is staffed by volunteers.

My husband doing his best Colonel Ebey impression in
front of the blockhouse.... :)

The view from the homestead

The homestead restored

Head west from the homestead and stay to the left of a fence that takes you all the way to the bluffs. You will come to a T junction. Turn right and follow the trail along the bluffs.

The view from the bluff

Looking back over the prairie

Starting down the bluff trail

You follow the bluffs until you pass by Peregos Lake - a lagoon.

Peregos Lake as seen from the bluff

After you pass Peregos Lake the trail starts to descend and switchback down towards the beach.

Descending...

On the beach...

A view of the switchbacks coming down to the beach

Follow the beach back until you get to a pit toilet and parking area. You pick the trail back up to the bluffs here. Head left up the trail until you reach the T junction that took you over the bluffs. Turn right to head back past the homestead and to your car. This loop is 5.6 miles long. If you wanted to do just the shorter loop from the beach up on the bluffs and back there is a parking area on Ebey's Landing road. This will cut about 2 miles off the total. We encountered plenty of people and their dogs enjoying the trail, but it was far from crowded!

I think thistles are beautiful...this bee agrees!

Lots of vetch growing on the trail.

Lots of gumweed as well

and Oregon grapes

Camas lily?

False Lily of the Valley has the most beautiful fruit!

Spotted some cactus along the trail....wonder how it got there?

A small lupine variety...not in bloom though.

A bee enjoying the gumweed

Not sure what this was....thinking maybe something in the pea family?

Pink campion..

White campion...

Lots of beautiful wild flowers and a few insects..

Lots of digger bees...

doing some cleaning.... ;)

This picture isn't super clear....but I had a lot of trouble
getting one of these guys to hold still long enough to snap
a picture. They flew like drunken sailors and were
very uncoordinated. I think it may be a Lined June Beetle.
I enjoyed watching them....I chased several around trying to get
pictures, until I almost stepped on this one coming out of the
ground!

I couldn't pass up these two crows hanging out on the fence posts.

I thought this made a beautiful picture the way that the seaweed applied itself to the rock.

A unique shaped tree.

I don't always take the path with least resistance. Although I found that walking near the surf where the waves were
breaking was the easiest place to walk along the beach.....until a large wave came and washed OVER the top of  my
waterproof boots..... 

Happy trails to you....enjoy the summer weather while it lasts!