Monday Mud-Day
Mar. 6th, 2017 03:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
christopher575Nothing really jumped out at me on the map when I looked at Edmonds last night, so I got on the WTA map to look around. Check that map out and you'll see why Washington is such a great place for hiking. I noticed a few icons on Camano Island and decided to give it a shot. I'd only ever been there once, on a pretty bad date back in early 2008. Thankfully I met Garrett ten months later and never had to go on any more stupid first dates. The plan was to check out two state parks, Camano Island State Park and Cama Beach State Park, perhaps even walking from one to the other. But while I was buying my parking pass online, I checked the hours, and supposedly in the winter, they open at 8am. So I started out on the other side of the island, at the Iverson Trail Reserve. I have no idea why the name sometimes includes the word Spit and sometimes doesn't.
There's a nice beach there, but it's very hard to get to due to all the driftwood. If you're in one of the very nice houses on the road leading to the parking area, you can just step out your back door, but everyone else has to scramble and climb.
The trail started out quite nice, though the other beach entrances that were completely flooded with mud gave me a clue as to what I'd be up against soon.
Interesting red tree. Probably dying.
Of course, I found the mud. I'm really surprised I managed to keep my feet dry.
A view of those houses by the parking area, from the other side of the park.
Contrast.
When you find a trail called Hobbit Trail, you have to walk it.
I think it's called that because you have to duck under quite a few low trees. Nothing insurmountable.
I got about halfway to the beach on my way out, but decided I'd save my energy for the next park.
Gorgeous driftwood.
1.39 miles in 48 minutes, 4,317 steps
I noticed on my way to the second park that there was no point in walking from it to the third. It's about a mile each way and there's just a walkway next to the road. It'd be one thing if you could walk down along the water or somewhere with a view of it, but adding two miles of road time wouldn't make any sense. I parked the car and soaked up the view.
The beach there is weird because there's public beach, private beach, and beach which may or may not be public with private stairs coming down. I can't imagine walking down this terrifying staircase.
The beach is nice and long, though. Lots to see.
There was a perfect table to stop and have my breakfast. Onion bagel with jalapeño cream cheese, pot roast, and sharp cheddar. Tasty.
I went all the way to the end of the beach thinking I'd find a way to get to the trails on the map that look like they're right next to it. Alas, you can't, because they're not. But there was a very nice staircase to climb, so nice that I figured it was public, but it was pretty obvious when I got to the top that I was on a private road, and there was a lot more climbing to do. Thankfully once I got back into the woods, I was able to cool off pretty quickly.
4 miles in 1:38, 9,890 steps, 501ft gain
After all that, I decided to skip the second park. The parking pass I bought is good for a year in all state parks requiring one, so I can go back whenever I feel like it. But then again, I said that last year after going to Wallace Falls State Park, and never ended up going to another one until today. Oh well.
Since I was leaving earlier than I figured I would, I thought it would be nice to take the long way home, driving down through Warm Beach and Tulalip Bay instead of on the freeway. It was really nice.
This has been a really nice vacation, and I'm glad I took this extra day off. Coming back on a 4-day week will be nice.
There's a nice beach there, but it's very hard to get to due to all the driftwood. If you're in one of the very nice houses on the road leading to the parking area, you can just step out your back door, but everyone else has to scramble and climb.
The trail started out quite nice, though the other beach entrances that were completely flooded with mud gave me a clue as to what I'd be up against soon.
Interesting red tree. Probably dying.
Of course, I found the mud. I'm really surprised I managed to keep my feet dry.
A view of those houses by the parking area, from the other side of the park.
Contrast.
When you find a trail called Hobbit Trail, you have to walk it.
I think it's called that because you have to duck under quite a few low trees. Nothing insurmountable.
I got about halfway to the beach on my way out, but decided I'd save my energy for the next park.
Gorgeous driftwood.
1.39 miles in 48 minutes, 4,317 steps
I noticed on my way to the second park that there was no point in walking from it to the third. It's about a mile each way and there's just a walkway next to the road. It'd be one thing if you could walk down along the water or somewhere with a view of it, but adding two miles of road time wouldn't make any sense. I parked the car and soaked up the view.
The beach there is weird because there's public beach, private beach, and beach which may or may not be public with private stairs coming down. I can't imagine walking down this terrifying staircase.
The beach is nice and long, though. Lots to see.
There was a perfect table to stop and have my breakfast. Onion bagel with jalapeño cream cheese, pot roast, and sharp cheddar. Tasty.
I went all the way to the end of the beach thinking I'd find a way to get to the trails on the map that look like they're right next to it. Alas, you can't, because they're not. But there was a very nice staircase to climb, so nice that I figured it was public, but it was pretty obvious when I got to the top that I was on a private road, and there was a lot more climbing to do. Thankfully once I got back into the woods, I was able to cool off pretty quickly.
4 miles in 1:38, 9,890 steps, 501ft gain
After all that, I decided to skip the second park. The parking pass I bought is good for a year in all state parks requiring one, so I can go back whenever I feel like it. But then again, I said that last year after going to Wallace Falls State Park, and never ended up going to another one until today. Oh well.
Since I was leaving earlier than I figured I would, I thought it would be nice to take the long way home, driving down through Warm Beach and Tulalip Bay instead of on the freeway. It was really nice.
This has been a really nice vacation, and I'm glad I took this extra day off. Coming back on a 4-day week will be nice.
