Information about this hike provided in partnership with
Mountaineers Books.
Copyright © Craig Romano/The Mountaineers Books Spencer Island
Featured In:
Day Hiking: Central Cascades,
by Craig Romano.
A portion of all book sales from the links above benefits WTA and helps protect and maintain our trails. Starting by the water treatment plant, hold your breath and walk 0.4 mile down gravel 4th Street SE, coming to the trailhead proper at the old Jackknife Bridge. A paved trail leads right 2 miles to the City of Everett's Langus Riverfront Park. Continue straight onto the historic bridge. The bridge spanned nearby Ebey Slough from 1914 to 1980. In 1993 it was moved here to Union Slough, providing pedestrian access to Spencer Island. It is one of the last remaining bascule bridges (counterweight drawbridges) in the country. Upon stepping foot on the island, come to a junction. The trail left follows a levee north to open-to-hunting (check seasons) Fish and Wildlife land. It terminates in 1 mile at a breach. Directly ahead is a short trail (often flooded in winter and spring), leading to a boardwalk providing excellent wildlife viewing. An old barn once stood here. A favorite subject for visiting photographers, it was toppled by a 2006 windstorm. For the Spencer Island Loop, follow the levee trail south. In 0.2 mile come to a junction with the Cross Island Levee Trail, your return. Continue right, soon arriving at a bridge, one of several spanning breaches in the levee. These breaches were intentionally made by land managers to allow much of the island to revert back to a tide-influenced wetland. Scan the reeds, cattails, and sedges for myriad waterfowl and songbirds. Enjoy, too, the view east across the saturated flats to Mount Pilchuck and Three Fingers. Note the profusion of homes marching up the hills toward them. The constant buzz of traffic in the air also reminds you just how close the "civilized world" is to this wildlife refuge. Continue hiking on the levee trail toward the southern tip of the island. Alders line the way, with an occasional birch or spruce adding a little arboreal diversity. The way then turns north, following alongside Steamboat Slough. Cross another breach bridge and come to a junction. The trail north dead-ends at an unbridged breach. Head left instead on the Cross Levee Trail, traversing wetlands teeming with life. Watch for hawks, herons, harriers, widgeons, and ruddy and wood ducks. Look, too, for bald eagles, river otters, coyotes, and deer. In 0.5 mile the Cross Levee Trail leads back to the main trail. Turn right to return to the Jackknife Bridge.
Driving Directions:
From Everett, take exit 195 off of I-5, turning left onto E Grand Avenue. In 0.5 mile bear right onto E Marine View Drive, following it for 1 mile to State Route 529. Continue north on SR 529, crossing the Snohomish River onto Smith Island. After 0.5 mile turn right onto 35th Avenue NE (signed for Langus Riverfront Park), and proceed south for 0.5 mile, turning left onto Smith Island Road. (From Marysville, follow SR 529 south for 1 mile, turning right onto 36th Place NE. Continue for 1 mile, passing under SR 529 and coming to a junction with 35th Avenue NE and Smith Island Road.) Follow Smith Island Road south. At 1 mile bear right at a Y intersection. In another mile pass under I-5, where the road takes a sharp left and becomes 4th Street SE. Continue for 0.3 mile, passing a water treatment plant, to a parking lot on your right. Park here. The hike begins on the road. Recent Trip Reports
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Spencer Island
— Feb 05, 2012
— Family Hiker
Day hike
Issues:
Water on trail
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I took my 10 y/o daughter out for our very first hike of the year to Spencer Island. She...
I took my 10 y/o daughter out for our very first hike of the year to Spencer Island. She was breaking in a new pair of boots, so we wanted an easy nature hike. The day was clear and lots of walkers were out and many had their dogs with them. The trail that we went on was in excellent condition. We took the paved trail to the south first, and it rounds back up to meet up with the gravel road that passes through the Everett water treatment plant at the Jackknife bridge. We saw lots of mallard ducks and other black and white ducks. The best sight on the hike was a seal playing around in the Snohomish River. We watched him for about 20 minutes as he surfaced and submerged several times. I strongly recommend this hike for families with small children.
Spencer Island
— Feb 02, 2012
— Whitedog
Day hike
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Trail is in good condition. There are signs that the trail had been flooded recently but is quite passable; the...
Trail is in good condition. There are signs that the trail had been flooded recently but is quite passable; the only part not trivially reachable is the one part of the boardwalk.
No signs of snow. Day hike
Issues:
Snow on trail
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Pulled into the parking lot at 4pm. Despite the late hour (and the snow), there were two other parties hiking.
Didn't...
Pulled into the parking lot at 4pm. Despite the late hour (and the snow), there were two other parties hiking.
Didn't have much time, so I just did the loop around the south part of Smith Island, and a short detour onto Spencer Island. Nice, flat trail, with lots of birds (small and large). Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/[…]/SpencerIslandJanuary2012 Tracklog: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/141737106
Spencer Island
— Dec 31, 2011
— Searching for DL
Day hike
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Got up early and started walking from the north end of Langus Park. Took the loop around the south...
Got up early and started walking from the north end of Langus Park. Took the loop around the south tip of Smith Island and saw a flock of flickers and a flock of robins. Then looped around Spencer Island, or should I say lake. With the super high tides, the entire island was under water except the dike. Saw thousands of mallard ducks (who must have been avoiding the hunters at the north end of the island), a flight of mergansers, two great blue herons and lots of little brown birds. Bridge decks were all icy and slippery.
About 5 miles. I was pleasantly surprised that the freeway noise was muted and not at all bothersome. Day hike
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Sunny weekend days in December are tricky. There's so much you want to do that it is hard to...
Sunny weekend days in December are tricky. There's so much you want to do that it is hard to make time for it all. So, balancing the desires to put up Christmas lights, clean gutters, go hiking, etc, etc, I decided to pick a short hike close to home. Spencer Island, probably less than a 15 minute drive from my house...perfect! It's not very remote, and you can hear the highway the whole time in the distance, but it is still a somewhat relaxing setting.
To get a little more time outdoors, I started at Langus Riverfront Park, walked up the Snohomish River to Spencer Island, did the Spencer Island Loop, and then back down the River. I started late in the day, around 2:30, and was able to enjoy the entire hike in magical wintertime lighting conditions. The tide was out and the waterfowl were in. This was hike 23 of my 30/300/30000 @ 30 challenge. 1. Deception Pass 2. Wallace Falls 3. Spencer Island 4. E. Fork Foss River 5. Lake Serene 6. Wallace Falls 7. Goat Lake (N. Cascades) 8. Boulder River 9. Third Beach to Toleak Point (Overnight) 10. Big Quilcene/Marmot Pass (Overnight) 11. Lake 22 12. N. Fork Skokomish (Overnight) 13. Welcome Pass/High Divide 14. Golden Lakes/Sunset Park (Overnight) 15. Glacier Basin 16. Sunrise Area Trails 17. Park Butte 18. Mt. Pilchuck 19. Barclay Lake 20. Cutthroat Pass 21. West Fork Foss River 22. Mount Constitution 23. Spencer Island 23 Hikes, 200.8 Miles, 42200' Elevation Gain. |
Spencer Island. Photo by CBig.
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