Hiking Guide
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HIKING GUIDE A guide to some of the best hikes in the Pacific Northwest 1 TABLE OF 28 Glacier Peak Meadows THE SEATTLE NORTHCOUNTRY 30 Old Sauk Trail CONTENTS Eight Mile Creek & Squire Creek Pass WILDERNESS PLEDGE 31 2 What to Pack 32 Fortson Ponds & Whitehorse Trail 2 How to Hike 34 Suiattle River & Image Lake Hiking Regions 36 Monte Cristo I will pack out everything I pack in. 4 38 Lime Kiln Garbage kills wildlife and destroys waterways. COASTAL 40 River Meadows County Park I will not disturb branches in the rivers. 6 COMMUNITIES SKYKOMISH/ Salmon use these areas to lay eggs. 8 Jetty Island 42 SNOHOMISH 10 Big Gulch RIVER VALLEYS 11 Japanese Gulch I will take selfies without harming myself. 44 Paradise Valley Conservation Area Do not get close to cliff edges or wildlife. 12 Spencer Island 46 Lake Dorothy 14 Kayak Point County Park 48 Lord Hill Regional Park 16 Meadowdale Beach I will not feed or touch wildlife. 49 Sultan River Canyon Trail Human food can harm our furry and feathered friends. STILLAGUAMISH/ 50 Bridal Veil Falls & Lake Serene 18 SAUK RIVER VALLEYS 52 Evergreen Mountain Lookout I will not go off the trail. 53 Johnson Ridge & Scorpion Mountain 20 Nakashima Barn It’s easier than you might think to get lost. 54 West Cady Ridge 21 Cutthroat Lake Flowing Lake Park Big Four Ice Caves 55 I will pick up after my dog. 22 Mount Dickerman Dogs feces destroys the enviorment by... 23 URBAN 24 Barlow Point 56 BASECAMP 25 Goat Lake I will pack the ten essentials. 58 Interurban Trail 26 North Fork Sauk Falls Packing correctly can save your life. See page 2 for details. 59 North Creek Park 27 Beaver Lake About the Author Craig Romano is an award winning author and co-author of more than 20 guidebooks on hiking in Washington State and the Pacific Northwest. He has hiked trails all over the world; from Alaska to Argentina, Sicily to South Korea, and concludes that some of the best hiking in the world is right here in Snohomish County. Content provider for Hikeoftheweek.com and Trails Editor for Outdoors NW, Craig also regularly contributes to Northwest Runner, Mountaineers Magazine, and Northwest Travel. Visit him at www. CraigRomano.com. And for scores of other hikes in the region check out his books; Day Hiking Central Cascades, Day Hiking North Cascades, and Backpacking Washington (Mountaineers Books). All photos by Craig Romano except otherwise noted. 2 3 of your hike, this can be as simple as Hikes in this brochure on state park GETTING a hip-hugging fanny-pack or a large lands require a Discover Pass, which 10 multi-compartment backpack. Personal you also display on your rearview ESSENTIALS STARTED preference and hiking options should mirror. These sell for $10 per day or Hiking in Seattle NorthCountry, dictate what you use. $30 for an annual pass and are good at all state parks, DNR lands, and Snohomish County, WA can be Before setting out it’s also important to Washington Department of Fish and MAP & enjoyable, invigorating, and quite consider your fitness level. Be sure that Wildlife properties. You can purchase COMPASS rewarding; but it’s important to be you’re capable of completing the hike one from several outdoor retailers and well-prepared before setting out. before heading out. A mile up a steep area businesses or online (discoverpass. Granted, some of the hikes in this mountain is not the same as a mile on a wa.gov). SUN brochure involve terrain and distances flat paved trail. Although the latter may PROTECTION that aren’t very difficult. But wearing take you only 20 minutes to walk, the What about dogs? Dogs make great proper footwear should be a priority former may take you over an hour. Give hiking partners if they are well-behaved. on all of the region’s hikes. For most yourself sufficient time to complete and Most of the hikes in this brochure are EXTRA groomed trails, walking or running shoes CLOTHING enjoy your hike. open to them. But, leashes may be should be sufficient. But for wilderness required. Please obey these regulations, Such as a Our Hiking Guide is a wonderful trails and those that involve uneven or you may forfeit the privilege of Rain Jacket resource and great introduction to terrain and backcountry travel, good bringing along your furry friend. Please the trails of the region, but it’s not hiking boots are a must. Be sure they fit clean up after your buddy, too. MATCHES OR properly and provide good support. a comprehensive guide. Consider FIRE STARTER buying one of the many fine trail guides Be sure to respect the land that you Be sure you stay properly hydrated, available to supplement this brochure. are traveling across. Stay on the trail. too. Even on short trails, it’s easy to Day Hiking North Cascades, Day Hiking Don’t cut switchbacks for this increases dehydrate, especially on warm summer Central Cascades, and Backpacking erosion and causes unsightly scars. HEADLAMP OR afternoons. Always carry water. There Washington (Mountaineers Books), by Don’t litter. Pack it out with you. Use FLASHLIGHT are plenty of different water bottles this author are excellent up-to-date restrooms when available and if you and hydration packs available to suit guides teeming with hiking options. need to heed the call of nature while your taste and preference. Consider all Also, when heading out on wilderness out on the trail, heed at least 200 feet sources of water in the backcountry FIRST AID trails, take along a good map. Green from any water source. Be sure to bury to be contaminated. Treat it with SUPPLIES Trails makes excellent detailed maps your waste. Leave wildflowers for others purification tablets or a filtering pump of all the national forest hikes in this to enjoy and keep a safe distance when before drinking it. brochure. They can be purchased viewing wildlife. Take only pictures; Always carry extra food. Granola bars, at National Forest ranger stations, leave only footprints. If in a federal POCKETKNIFE energy bars and gels, and fruit make for and many outdoor specialty shops, Wilderness Area, adhere to all special convenient trail snacks. convenience stores, and sporting good wilderness rules and regulations. stores throughout the region. When setting out on wilderness and And one final note. Trails and roads can backcountry hikes, it’s essential that Some of the hikes on National Forest and do change. They can wash-out, be EXTRA FOOD you carry the 10 Essentials (see side lands within this brochure require a buried in snow, or destroyed by wildfire. bar left). Carry rain gear and extra Northwest Forest Parking Pass at the Occasionally they’re closed for wildlife clothing. Weather can change rapidly trailhead; which you display on your management or other reasons. Always within the region. It’s not uncommon rearview mirror. These sell for $5 per check with the appropriate governing EXTRA WATER for a 70 degree warm morning to day or $30 for an annual pass good land agency, before setting out on your rapidly transform into a cool, windy and throughout Washington and Oregon. hike. Contact information for these rainy afternoon. Be prepared for all Be sure to purchase before you hit agencies is included in each hike’s the trail. You can purchase one at any introduction. EMERGENCY conditions when hiking in the region. national forest ranger station within the SHELTER All of your hiking supplies should be And finally; have fun! Enjoy the region’s county, from several outdoor retailers Such as a transported in a pack. Depending on hiking trails. They are among some of and area businesses or online (www. Space Blanket the distance and degree of difficulty the finest and most scenic in America. fs.fed.us/r6/passespermits). 4 5 Vancouver B.C. Mountain Loop Hwy 530 STILLAGUAMISH/SAUK RIVER VALLEYS COASTAL 5 Everett PAE SKYKOMISH/SNOHOMISH RIVER VALLEYS 2 N Seattle URBAN BASECAMP Seattle NorthCountry has COASTAL COMMUNITIES The SKYKOMISH/SNOHOMISH Stunning four distinct visitor regions. coastal region runs alongside Puget mountain views and tiny towns Sound in the Salish Sea. Hikes in this are abundant in the Skykomish/ The Coastal Communities, region tend to be near cities, easier, Snohomish River Valleys. Hike to the Urban Basecamp, and and more accessible, often with alpine lakes and waterfalls, then two river valleys in the stunning sunsets and seaside views. refuel in a tiny mountain village. north and south. Abundant STILLAGUAMISH/SAUK The upper URBAN BASECAMP In the Urban Stillaguamish/Sauk River Valleys is Basecamp, you will find a home base hiking opportunities are the most “off the grid” experience with everything you need to enjoy the found throughout these of the four regions. The Mountain great outdoors and some delightfully regions, the valleys offer Loop Highway features some of accessible trails too. Forgot some the best hiking opportunities in gear? Need to rent snowshoes? You’ll particularly stunning hikes. the state. find it all in the Urban Basecamp. 6 7 In the Coastal Communities you can take a tiny ferry to a man- made island, wander a mossy STANWOOD ravine, mindfully birdwatch and learn about salmon habitat recovery in a prized sensitive river estuary, and be back in Coastal WARM BEACH Communities 5 time to sip a locally-brewed beer while you watch the sunset over 5 TULALIP 1. JETTY ISLAND Puget Sound on the Salish Sea. 2. BIG GULCH MARYSVILLE 3. JAPANESE GULCH 4. SPENCER ISLAND 1 4 5. KAYAK POINT PARK EVERETT 6. MEADOWDALE BEACH PARK MUKILTEO CAPERS AND OLIVES SCUTTLEBUTT The beer is TULALIP RESORT CASINO House-made pasta, great, but don’t miss the Four-star accommodations 2,3 extensive wine list.