Well, here goes my hiking aspirations for the coming year! In no particular order. :-) Please comment if you have suggestions, reviews or corrections.
Meadowdale Beach Park
Roundtrip: 2.5 miles
Difficulty: moderate
Drive time (from North Everett): 30 minutes
Parking Pass required: No
Mercer Slough Nature Park - More here
Roundtrip: 6 miles of trails
Difficulty: Easy
Drive time (from N. Everett): 40 minutes
Parking Pass required: No
Wallace Falls State Park - WTA link -done
Roundtrip: 5.5 miles
Difficulty: moderate to difficult
Drive time (from N. Everett): 45 minutes
Parking Pass required: Discover Pass
Bridal Veil Falls
Roundtrip: 5 miles
Difficulty: moderate
Drive time (from N. Everett): 50 minutes
Parking Pass required: Recreation Pass required
Iron Goat Trail
Roundtrip: Variable - up to 10+ miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Drive time (from N. Everett): 1 hour 20 minutes approx to Iron Goat Trail Interpretive Site Trailhead
Parking Pass required: Recreation Pass required
Big Gulch Trail - Yelp trip report -done
Roundtrip: 2 miles
Difficulty: moderate
Drive time (from N. Everett): 15 minutes
Parking Pass required: No
Japanese Gulch Trail - Maps - more info -done
Roundtrip: 14 miles of trails total
Difficulty:easy - difficult
Drive time (from N. Everett):15-20 minutes
Parking Pass required: No
Lake Twenty-Two
Roundtrip: 4-5 miles roundtrip
Difficulty: moderate - steep
Drive time (from N. Everett): one hour approx.
Parking Pass required: Recreation Pass required
Ashland Lakes
Roundtrip: 5.5 miles
Difficulty: easy terrain - longer distance though
Drive time (from N. Everett): 1 hour 15 minutes
Parking pass required: No
Bob Heirman Wildlife Preserve
Roundtrip: 3 miles
Difficulty: easy
Drive time (from N. Everett): 25 minutes
Parking pass required: No
Rockport State Park
Roundtrip: 3 miles
Difficulty: Easy - moderate
Drive time (from N. Everett): 1 hour 25 minutes
Parking pass required: Discover Pass
Sauk Mountain
Roundtrip: 4.2 miles
Difficulty: moderate - difficult
Drive time (from N. Everett): 1 hour 50 minutes
Parking pass required: No
Cougar Mountain - Past hike there
Roundtrip: Varied - 36 miles of trails
Difficulty: easy - difficult
Drive time: (from N. Everett): 55 minutes
Parking pass required: No
Brightwater Center -done
Roundtrip: 3 miles of trails
Difficulty: easy - moderate
Drive time (from N. Everett): 30 minutes
Parking pass required: No
Rasar State Park
Roundtrip: 3.7 miles
Difficulty: easy - moderate
Drive time (from N. Everett): 1 hour 15 minutes
Parking pass required: Discover Pass
Paradise Valley Conservation Area
Roundtrip: varies - 13 miles of trails
Difficulty: easy - difficult
Drive time (from N. Everett): 35 minutes
Parking pass required: No
Lime Kiln Trail -done
Roundtrip: 7 miles
Difficulty: moderate
Drive time (from N. Everett): 35 minutes
Parking Pass required: No
Canyon Lake Trail
Roundtrip: 6 miles
Difficulty: moderate
Drive time (from N. Everett): 1 hour 15 minutes
Parking pass required: No
Pinnacle Lake Trail
Roundtrip: 3.8 miles
Difficulty: Difficult
Drive time (from N. Everett): 1 hour 20 minutes
Parking pass required: Recreation Pass required
Carkeek Park
Roundtrip: 6 miles
Difficulty: easy - moderate
Drive time (from N. Everett): 35 minutes
Parking Pass required: No
Franklin Falls
Roundtrip: 2 miles
Difficulty: easy
Drive time (from N. Everett): 1 hour 25 minutes
Parking Pass required: Recreation Pass required
Twin Falls
Roundtrip: 3 miles
Difficulty: easy - moderate
Drive time (from N. Everett): 1 hour and 10 minutes
Parking Pass required: No
Boulder River
Roundtrip: 2.5 to 8.6 miles
Difficulty: easy to moderate
Drive time (from N. Everett): 1 hour 10 minutes
Parking Pass required: No
Talapus Lake Trail
Roundtrip: 4 miles
Difficulty: Difficult - steep
Drive time (from N. Everett): 1hour 20 minutes approx.
Parking pass required: Recreation Pass required
Little Mountain Park - Mt. Vernon - WTA link
Roundtrip: 4 miles of trails in total
Difficulty - moderate
Drive time (from N. Everett): 45 minutes
Parking pass required: No
Little Cranberry Lake
Roundtrip: miles of trails
Difficulty: easy - moderate
Drive time (from N. Everett): 1 hour 5 minutes
Parking pass required: No
Whistle Lake - more info
Roundtrip: miles of trails
Difficulty: easy - difficult
Drive time (from N. Everett): 1 hour
Parking pass required: No
Heart Lake
Roundtrip: miles of trails
Difficulty: easy-difficult
Drive time (from N. Everett): 1 hour
Parking pass required: no
Showing posts with label pacific northwest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pacific northwest. Show all posts
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Lord Hill Regional Park ~ January 10, 2012
We picked the most gorgeous day for a hike at Lord Hill! There were clear, blue skies and sunshine.
There were 3 cars in the parking lot when we arrived at 11am. 2 people were leaving and I saw several people just setting off for a trail run. This is a multi-use trail and can be used by hikers, bicyclists and equestrians. We encountered a couple of people hiking with their dogs. Even though we didn't see any horses this time, there is evidence along the trail that they had been there recently - hoof prints and horse droppings. So do watch where you step, as we also saw several piles of dog waste that some thoughtless dog owners failed to pick up.
I love this park because it is so close to home (30 minutes), yet it feels like you are up in the mountains. There are a couple of viewpoints where you can see quite a distance on a clear day. Maps were available at the trailhead, although you could print one ahead of time just to make sure that you have one with you. There was plenty of mud on the trails, so be sure to wear appropriate boots or shoes. We brought a lunch and hiked out of the parking lot on the Main Trail. We cut off on the West View Trail and walked until we reached the viewpoint. The elevation is not terribly high at 650 feet, and it doesn't give you much of a view during the spring, summer and fall months, but......if you go in the winter when the leaves are off the trees you actually get a decent view of the surrounding countryside! There is also a picnic table and bench at this location, so it makes a nice spot to stop and eat lunch.
After we ate, we walked back the way that we came and headed back to our cars.
There was not much in the way of blooming things or fungus. I did take a couple of pictures though.
Happy Trails!
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| Here you can see the blue sky, as well as my son with a deer-in-the-headlights look! |
There were 3 cars in the parking lot when we arrived at 11am. 2 people were leaving and I saw several people just setting off for a trail run. This is a multi-use trail and can be used by hikers, bicyclists and equestrians. We encountered a couple of people hiking with their dogs. Even though we didn't see any horses this time, there is evidence along the trail that they had been there recently - hoof prints and horse droppings. So do watch where you step, as we also saw several piles of dog waste that some thoughtless dog owners failed to pick up.
I love this park because it is so close to home (30 minutes), yet it feels like you are up in the mountains. There are a couple of viewpoints where you can see quite a distance on a clear day. Maps were available at the trailhead, although you could print one ahead of time just to make sure that you have one with you. There was plenty of mud on the trails, so be sure to wear appropriate boots or shoes. We brought a lunch and hiked out of the parking lot on the Main Trail. We cut off on the West View Trail and walked until we reached the viewpoint. The elevation is not terribly high at 650 feet, and it doesn't give you much of a view during the spring, summer and fall months, but......if you go in the winter when the leaves are off the trees you actually get a decent view of the surrounding countryside! There is also a picnic table and bench at this location, so it makes a nice spot to stop and eat lunch.
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| The kids had fun playing on a gravel pile where we stopped for lunch. |
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| This is the bench from the viewpoint that I talked about. |
After we ate, we walked back the way that we came and headed back to our cars.
There was not much in the way of blooming things or fungus. I did take a couple of pictures though.
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| I found some brand new stinging nettle peeking through the leaf litter. |
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| These tiny mushrooms were growing along the trail on some dead wood. |
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Paradise Valley Conservation Area ~ December 1, 2011
We went for a very chilly hike at the Paradise Valley Conservation Area. I think temperatures stayed in the 30 degree range while we hiked! There was a lot of fog as well. It was nice to be outside and get some exercise and fresh air though, despite the cool weather.
I haven't been to this area before, but I will definitely be back. I printed a map to bring with me as this is one of those places that has a variety of looping trails.
We walked from the parking lot on the mainline trail and cut off on the Wetland Plateau Trail. We ate lunch where the trail ended at the Southern Traverse Trail and then turned around and headed back the way we came. We walked almost 2 miles round trip. This was plenty long as everyone was ready to warm up when we got back to the parking lot!
We encountered some mud on the trail, one viewpoint of Mt. Baker that would have been nice if we weren't fogged in, several other hikers and a couple of leashed dogs.
The brochure (found in the map link above), says that the parking lot can be full on busy weekends. I would save this hike for the off season or weekday times to avoid the crowds.
Found lots of very large, yellow leaves. I think they are Black Cottonwood? Someone correct me if I'm wrong. :)
I also noticed many pieces of wood and branches that had hair ice on them. I've never seen anything like it. It was really pretty. At first I thought it was some kind of slime mold or fungus.
Here are the fungus pictures:
I thought this was a cool picture of the leaf stabbed on a sharp branch.
Happy trails!
I haven't been to this area before, but I will definitely be back. I printed a map to bring with me as this is one of those places that has a variety of looping trails.
We walked from the parking lot on the mainline trail and cut off on the Wetland Plateau Trail. We ate lunch where the trail ended at the Southern Traverse Trail and then turned around and headed back the way we came. We walked almost 2 miles round trip. This was plenty long as everyone was ready to warm up when we got back to the parking lot!
We encountered some mud on the trail, one viewpoint of Mt. Baker that would have been nice if we weren't fogged in, several other hikers and a couple of leashed dogs.
The brochure (found in the map link above), says that the parking lot can be full on busy weekends. I would save this hike for the off season or weekday times to avoid the crowds.
Found lots of very large, yellow leaves. I think they are Black Cottonwood? Someone correct me if I'm wrong. :)
I also noticed many pieces of wood and branches that had hair ice on them. I've never seen anything like it. It was really pretty. At first I thought it was some kind of slime mold or fungus.
Here are the fungus pictures:
I thought this was a cool picture of the leaf stabbed on a sharp branch.
Happy trails!
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Boardman and Evan Lake trail ~ July 14th 2011
I've decided that hiking in the rain is just a part of the reality that is Summer 2011 in the Pacific Northwest! Another wet hike this past week to Boardman Lake and Lake Evan Evan.
This is such a great short hike to a beautiful area! The trail to Lake Evan is very short - .1 miles. Boardman Lake is another .7 miles beyond and has some elevation gain, but is fairly easy. The trail was a small creek the day we were there as it was POURING!
There were mud holes and lots of water the whole way. Thank goodness for waterproof hiking boots! We walked to both lakes and ate a quick lunch standing under a tree at Boardman Lake and headed back to the car. We were surprised to see a couple of other cars at the trailhead being mid-week and wet! Don't forget your NW Forest Pass as you will need to display it in your car at the trailhead. If you don't have one, you can purchase one at the Verlot Ranger Station on the way to the trailhead.
That's all I've got....happy trails....and hopefully drier ones ahead.... :)
This is such a great short hike to a beautiful area! The trail to Lake Evan is very short - .1 miles. Boardman Lake is another .7 miles beyond and has some elevation gain, but is fairly easy. The trail was a small creek the day we were there as it was POURING!
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| This is the "creek" - aka...the trail.... :) |
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| Trudging through the water |
There were mud holes and lots of water the whole way. Thank goodness for waterproof hiking boots! We walked to both lakes and ate a quick lunch standing under a tree at Boardman Lake and headed back to the car. We were surprised to see a couple of other cars at the trailhead being mid-week and wet! Don't forget your NW Forest Pass as you will need to display it in your car at the trailhead. If you don't have one, you can purchase one at the Verlot Ranger Station on the way to the trailhead.
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| Crossing the logs coming back from Boardman Lake |
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| Boardman Lake |
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| Boardman Lake |
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| Beautiful shelf fungus |
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| Not sure what this is...but it's pretty... |
Friday, July 8, 2011
Ashland Lakes - July 7th 2011
Well, imagine this.....another wet hike in NW Washington state.... :) I wouldn't want to be anywhere else though!
We hiked at Ashland Lakes....in the rain...and it was beautiful. We only made it to Beaver Plant Lake, the first of the 3 lakes on this trail. Just before we got to the lake the rain started pouring and we decided to check out the lake and then turn around and head back to the car.
We were the only car in the parking lot when we arrived, not surprising since it was sprinkling when we got there. There is a pit toilet at the trailhead. The trail starts where the road ends and the parking area begins....if you are facing down the road, the trail starts on your left side....it's a little bit hidden if you aren't paying attention.
The trail is in pretty good shape, with a few muddy areas. Most of the muddy or wet areas have boardwalks or planks to walk across, so your feet stay fairly dry. Watch out for the occasional loose board though. If you go all the way to Lower Ashland Lake...the 3rd lake along the trail there is a negative elevation gain from the trailhead....don't let this fool you though....there is some climbing along the way to Beaver Plant Lake. If you go to the end of the trail it is about 5.5 miles round trip. There are campsites around the lakes complete with firepits and a toilet of sorts in the vicinity.
Violets....
The frog we saw at the lake...
Fungus....
Happy trails....
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| Beaver Plant Lake |
We hiked at Ashland Lakes....in the rain...and it was beautiful. We only made it to Beaver Plant Lake, the first of the 3 lakes on this trail. Just before we got to the lake the rain started pouring and we decided to check out the lake and then turn around and head back to the car.
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| The boardwalk next to Beaver Plant Lake |
We were the only car in the parking lot when we arrived, not surprising since it was sprinkling when we got there. There is a pit toilet at the trailhead. The trail starts where the road ends and the parking area begins....if you are facing down the road, the trail starts on your left side....it's a little bit hidden if you aren't paying attention.
The trail is in pretty good shape, with a few muddy areas. Most of the muddy or wet areas have boardwalks or planks to walk across, so your feet stay fairly dry. Watch out for the occasional loose board though. If you go all the way to Lower Ashland Lake...the 3rd lake along the trail there is a negative elevation gain from the trailhead....don't let this fool you though....there is some climbing along the way to Beaver Plant Lake. If you go to the end of the trail it is about 5.5 miles round trip. There are campsites around the lakes complete with firepits and a toilet of sorts in the vicinity.
Violets....
The frog we saw at the lake...
Fungus....
Happy trails....
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Explorer Falls ~ June 30th 2011
This year it seems like there is almost always a chance of rain....today was no exception. We got sprinkled on while we hiked up to Explorer Falls. There is minimal space to park right outside the gate where you begin the trail, but I think you could park along the road if this area was full. There was no one parked here when we arrived at 11:30am. The sad thing is the amount of trash in the parking area, around the falls and the trail areas. Lots of bottles, cans and other assorted debris (including fire pits) from those that don't seem to care about keeping the area nice (I'm assuming that this is an area that people party on the weekends).
After parking, you walk around the gated area and follow the gravel road for about a mile. You will pass a couple of other gravel roads that cutoff, but just stick to the main road and keep going. You will hear the falls on your right hand side and will see a narrow path leading across a creek that will take you up to a view (and a path to the base) of the falls. This is a nice place to eat lunch. If you would like to explore further, you can head up a series of steep switchbacks that start along the creek you crossed after leaving the main gravel road. There is supposed to be a boy scout shelter up there somewhere, but we weren't able to locate it. We did find the trail that led to the top of the falls and a nice lookout. Do be careful here, as there is a large drop off. Lots of mud and water on the trails from the falls on up.
The next two are taken on the switchbacks up to the top of the falls...
Lovely fungus pictures....
Lots of foxgloves...
Oh, and did I forget to mention ripe berries? Yes, ripe Salmon berries! Yum!
Happy trails.....and berry snacking.... :)
After parking, you walk around the gated area and follow the gravel road for about a mile. You will pass a couple of other gravel roads that cutoff, but just stick to the main road and keep going. You will hear the falls on your right hand side and will see a narrow path leading across a creek that will take you up to a view (and a path to the base) of the falls. This is a nice place to eat lunch. If you would like to explore further, you can head up a series of steep switchbacks that start along the creek you crossed after leaving the main gravel road. There is supposed to be a boy scout shelter up there somewhere, but we weren't able to locate it. We did find the trail that led to the top of the falls and a nice lookout. Do be careful here, as there is a large drop off. Lots of mud and water on the trails from the falls on up.
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| Here are the falls... |
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| Downstream from the falls, near where you make the small stream crossing... |
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| The view from the ridge at the top of the falls.... |
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| Stream crossing... |
Large slugs....they grow them big here!
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| Strange bottle cap cross on a tree... |
Lots of foxgloves...
Oh, and did I forget to mention ripe berries? Yes, ripe Salmon berries! Yum!
Happy trails.....and berry snacking.... :)
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