Ferndale, Washington

The trail begins on the Pacific Northwest Trail, which ascends quickly up the side of Blanchard Mountain. The trail contains several switchbacks which wind through second-growth alder, Western red cedar, and Douglas fir forest. After about one mile there is an overlook with a bench that offers a...

The sunset is amazing at Sammish Overlook. The view is the definition of panoramic and you almost have to strain your eyes because there is so much to look at. Plan to arrive before sunset if you want to capture some photos. This is a great "date spot" and you're likely to see couples up here pic...

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 li...

The easiest way to explore this area is through Outer Island Excursions, which offers a 3-hour kayaking tour from Smuggler’s Villa Resort on Orcas Island (they also offer various tours of the surrounding islands).The tour begins with a paddle down the North Shore of Orcas Island to Point Doughty ...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

The nine primitive campsites and one Cascadia Marine Trail campsite of Obstruction Pass State Park are the only first come, first serve campsites available on Orcas Island. The campsites themselves overlook a fantastic (and accessible beach) and Obstruction Pass itself. There are four composting ...

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...

Racehorse Creek is broken up into four distinct waterfalls that drop a total of 140ft through a relatively shallow gorge. The first two waterfalls are punchbowl-type falls that have deep holes at their bases. Immediately below the second waterfall, the creek descends rapidly before it arrives at...

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...

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...

It's just a short walk to the beach on this protruding point in Lopez Sound, and all downhill. Immediately upon leaving the trailhead, you come to a junction. Turn right and make a beeline straight for the picnic area at the base of the Spit.Time to explore the Spit. If the tide is high, stick to...

As you begin your journey into Burns Bog Delta Nature Reserve from the parking lot and small trail coming off of Westview Drive, notice the gravel trail ahead of you and across the train tracks that will take you into the bog itself and take a left. After spending a few minutes on the straight tr...