Hiking in the Chuckanuts

Gary Malick, orginally from Illinois, has worked at WWU as a media maintenance technician since 1995. He’s an avid hiker and biker, who also enjoys gardening and apple and grape growing and wine making.

It was finally getting to be spring around Bellingham and I was feeling the need to head to the woods and hills to just clear my head. The to-do list was never-ending and I had other responsibilities but it was time.

I emptied the work week paraphernalia from my daypack, threw together a PBJ, a few snacks and filled up a couple of Nalgenes (I know, I know, just like cotton … plastic kills) along with the rest of my 10 essentials and I was ready to go. Harvey, my springer spaniel/black lab, knew something was afoot, so when I grabbed his leash we both headed for the van like a couple of kids ditching school!

My loosely contrived plan was to head out to the Chuckanuts and just be on the trails for the day. The pending development of the areas down there has been front and center in the local papers as of late so going there for the day to freshen their image in my mind seemed like a good thing to do.

A few years back after I had purchased a copy of Ken Wilcox’s book, “Hiking in Whatcom County,” I did what I labeled the “South Bellingham Quad Traverse,” hiking to the high points of Huckleberry Point, Madrone Crest, Raptor Ridge and the view spots above Pine and Cedar lakes. I had done that in the winter, and now l thought I would see what it was like in the spring.

We drive down Chuckanut Drive and turn onto Old Samish Road, parking at the first signed parking area for Arroyo Park. I am amazed at how quickly we’re on the trails, 20 minutes from my home in North Bellingham, and no parking pass is needed.

Heading upstream on the trail along the creek I’m quickly engulfed by the lovely sound of the waters flowing over the rocks. The trail crosses a bridge and winds its way up the hillside, warming me up quite nicely. Along this section I see my first trillium flowers of the season in full beautiful bloom.

I must admit, before Ken’s book the trails in this area were quite confusing to me. If you don’t know the area or can’t go with someone who does, buy the book or better yet just buy the book no matter who you go with. Staying to the left, we come out to a clearing where there’s a house on the right, at the end of California Street. The trail widens quite a bit and from here on the signs are good.

We are now on the Hemlock Trail. The first junction is for a trail going off to the right, one of many leading to Lost Lake. I swear every trail sign I have ever seen in the Chuckanuts has an arrow pointing to Lost Lake — it’s like “Where the Heck Is Wall Drug?” bumper stickers! We go straight.

From here to the turnoff for Huckleberry Point we are on an old logging road. It meanders past a swamp with bright yellow skunk cabbage plants, also known as swamp lanterns (because they are so bright it seems like they are electric). The road climbs a bit and passes through a beautiful patch of young Douglas fir trees. A few more twists in the road and we reach the turnoff. It’s less than a half a mile to the end, where a narrow footpath leads to a solitary bench in the woods with a peek out to the east. It’s not the greatest view but a nice quiet place for a break.

It’s still early and Harvey and I want to head on. We head back to the junction with the Hemlock Trail and turn left. In less than one-third of a mile we come across a signpost at a trail junction with a trail heading off to the right. This is the Salal Trail heading to Madrone Crest and of course, Lost Lake. I didn’t recall much about this trail and wonder if it is worth the extra two miles roundtrip; was it much of a view, were there any Madrone trees there anyway?

Well, we went for it and we were quickly rewarded with a beautiful stream flowing out of a small cave right off the trail, absolutely stunning, clear water and green ferns, a little mini paradise. Harvey enjoyed tanking up on the cool water. Not far after this pretty divertimento is the cut-off for Madrone Crest.

The trail swings into a little valley that totally cuts out any of the lingering road noise from I-5. To the left and up is the crest, and to the right is a surreal collection of huge moss-covered rocks and boulders surrounded by the thickest collection of trees I have seen in this area. It is literally black and impenetrable. We gain a bit of elevation as the trail switches back and climbs on to the crest.

In a mile we are at the end, a rock outcropping with views to Mt. Baker and yes, there are a few Madrone trees about, and salal plants. If I stand just right on that outcropping I can even see Lake Padden. We sit and enjoy the view and quietness. I am glad we didn’t skip this section.

After our break we head back down to the Hemlock Trail. It’s amazing the new things you see when you reverse your direction on the same trail, many more trilliums peaking their heads out. At the junction the post reads 1.4 miles to Raptor Ridge. If memory serves me right we still have some elevation climb left. I wasn’t wrong but there are so many things to look at you forget about all the calories you are burning. I notice the fiddlehead ferns starting their unraveling — they remind me of a character out of a Dr. Seuss book. I also see the scarlet blooms of the salmonberry plants.

At this point I run into some of the first folks I have seen on this trail, a friendly young couple with backpacks coming back from an overnight camping trip in the woods, and I think again — all this so close to town. The cutoff for Raptor Ridge is soon upon us. The trail crosses a few wooden footbridges and then hugs tightly against some rocky cliffs but still in the thick woods. It’s short (about a half mile) but steep.

If you have kids who like Harry Potter books and movies, I think they will like this section of the trail, as some of the trees look like gargoyles that will reach out and grab you. When the trail hooks sharply to the left we quickly break out of the trees to a stunning view. The wind is blowing and a pair of ravens is clucking in the trees. As I take it in I marvel that from this point there is absolutely nothing I can see that is man-made, not an antenna tower, a power line, a road … nothing but trees and rolling hills.

I am finishing up a long lunch break when another couple breaks through the trees. I quickly pack up and leave them to enjoy the view and quiet in the same state that I had. Onward Harvey, to our last high point!

From the junction it is another three-quarters of a mile to the Pine and Cedar Lakes Trail. Along this section it is pretty flat. I run into some signs of the logging that was done here years ago: a rusting steel cable that is returning to the soil and tree stumps with the telltale sign of the spring boards that were notched into them to get the cutters up to a point where they could work.

I stop and think of what it would take to bring one of those huge trees down by hand; unbelievable what those guys were able to do. I just wish they would have left a few around for us to enjoy today. We soon meet up with the Pine and Cedar Lakes Trail and hang a right. This is that intersection you hit after the leg-burning, lung-searing elevation of that trail is behind you.

There used to be an unmarked footpath up to the viewpoints above the lakes but I noticed that the county parks and recreation folks have blocked it to discourage its use. So following the main trail leads to the first of these pretty lakes known as Cedar Lake. There’s a trail all the way around this lake and at the far side is another trail to the viewpoints above. Harvey and I finish this off panting and huffing our way up to the end.

On one side of the top is a view off to the east and the mountains, and down to the lake below. The view from the other side is by far the best view of the San Juans you will get around Bellingham. I can see out beyond Lummi Island to the smaller less known islands. As I stare off to the islands and the large ships in the distance, I contemplate our return path. I opt for heading down the Pine and Cedar Lakes Trail just because I haven’t seen it in a while. From there we will walk the Old Samish Road back to the van.

It has been a great day — we are tired but we had lots of fun. As I drive the short trip back home I reflect on how fortunate we are to have this in our backyard. I hope we can do whatever it takes to keep it that way. Wake up, Harvey, we are home already! §