Deming, Washington

Despite this trip report being titled "to Winchester Mountain", the fun doesn’t stop there. Even though Winchester Mountain is the most popular summer hike departing from Twin Lakes, this whole area turns into a fun-zone during the winter.Upon reaching higher ground above the lakes, this zone off...

We set out from the town of Anacortes, WA from Seafarers Memorial Park with a group of 6 people. Two in single kayaks and four in two tandem kayaks. After setting out into the water, keep to the west of Guemes island and follow the shoreline for a shorter trip or follow the east side for a longer...

Skagit Valley is an important agricultural region of Washington State, but the prettiest time of year to attend is during the spring when flower season takes hold. Daffodils first, then tulips, and then irises bloom and cover fields as far as the eye can see. The Skagit Tulip Festival is held eve...

When you get to the parking lot go past the access gate and follow the very well maintained trail. The hike to the viewing platform is all uphill, but short. After a couple minutes you will reach wooden stairs that take you to a viewing platform as well as to the suspension bridge where you can c...

Moran State Park is an true gem within the beautiful San Juan Islands. The park takes up a large portion of the East side of Orcas Island, the largest of all the San Juans. There are multiple campgrounds within the park along the shores of Cascade Lake and Mountain Lake. For the most relaxing exp...

Obstruction Pass State Park is something of a hidden gem on Orcas Island given that its nearby neighbor, Moran State Park, gets most of the tourist attention. What this means is that you can find solitude and quiet, *and* make a visit to the only publicly owned beach on the island. There are seve...

From Washington Park in Anacortes, Washington we launched our 19' Beachcraft with a deep hull into Puget Sound on a beautiful blue sky morning. The weather and water was favorable for an overnight adventure to Blakely Island! We made our way across Rosario Straight and toward James Island (20 mi...

No visit to the San Juan Islands is complete without taking a whale watching tour and Rosario Harbor on Orcas Island is uniquely situation to allow for trips east into the Rosario Straight, south into Lopez Sound, or west into the Haro Straight. Such flexibility is useful when on the looking for ...

Located only a short distance from the Trans-Canada highway is the Bridal Veil Falls Provincial Park. The park is a great area for a picnic lunch, but the highlight of the park is the almost 200 ft. (60 meter) waterfall. The location of the park and the duration of the hike to the waterfall make ...

Head over to this magical little park by the water. The forested area between the 2 entrances to the park has many large trees often used by eagles and hawks to survey the surrounding area for prey. The habitat functions of the marsh significantly contribute to the ecological value of the lower N...

One of Surrey's hidden gems, head down to this short trail down a set of stairs that will take you to an uninhabited beach.The zig zagged steps take you down to the Birlington Rail Lines and you can walk along a trail to an opening under the tracks. Head to the beach from here where you will like...

If you're looking for a weekend camping getaway to a small San Juan Island and you have a boat of substantial size or experience sea kayaking, this is the adventure for you!Launch your boat from Washington Park in Anacortes and cruise or sea kayak across Rosario Straight to James Island. There i...

An hour outside of downtown Vancouver lies the beautiful 150,000 acre Provincial Park of Golden Ears. The park has a myriad of hikes and adventures all with varying degrees of difficulty. The Spirea Nature Trail likely clocks in as one easiest amongst the dozens within the park. However, don’t le...

Crescent beach is a great place to end your day, by taking some sunset pictures. It often lights up the sky and really pops with colour. It is best to park at the main parking lot near the pier and start from there. The beach walk from the pier to the end is just over a kilometre, so is very shor...

Starting at the parking area, there is a roughly 2 mile hike through the woods. Depending on which route you take, you will suddenly end up at one of many incredible view points looking West at the Olympic Mountains, open ocean, and the San Juan Islands. In some areas you will be about 150 feet a...

Once you've parked your car, there is a $10 fee which can be paid at the station right next to the bridge unless you have a Discover Pass. From there, you can either go down the stairs to the beach or continue to walk across. Towards the middle, there are some stairs to get down and take some pho...