The sun was shining so I drove out to explore good ol’ Deception Pass. I got to the entrance right around 10a.m. and parked in the Cranberry Lake day-use lot. There were other folks around but their vehicles had found accommodations elsewhere, as mine was alone. I hung my shiny, newly renewed Discover Pass and let my boots carry me off into the salal-lined trail system of Deception Pass State Park.
The trails are in good shape for the most part, as you might expect from such well trodden paths. The main trails are wide and clear of obstacles, with signs pointing you to and fro. There are numerous blowdowns on the secondary trails, but only the Lottie Bay Trail has fallen trees on the main route (2 big ones). A short section of the coast trail that links the North Beach area with the Goose Rock trails/Bridge area is closed due to landslides and fallen trees. This area is clearly marked with signs and barriers. My detour was to hike up to SR20 and walk the road a short way to the bridge. There is repair work being done on the bridge right now, and both sides were closed to pedestrian traffic in the morning. However, by early afternoon, the workmen opened one side so us tourists could cross. Be careful crossing during construction: there were added trip hazards everywhere due to the work being done.
I passed a handful of other people out hiking on such a fine, spring-like Wednesday, but still being February, the trails were far from crowded. Sunny days in the off-season are the best times to visit these trails if you want more peace and solitude. Even the Navy jets took it easy today.
“I sang of leaves, of leaves of gold, and leaves of gold there grew:
Of wind I sang, a wind there came and in the branches blew.
Beyond the Sun, beyond the Moon, the foam was on the Sea,
and by the strand of Ilmarin there grew a Golden Tree.”
-J.R.R. Tolkien “The Fellowship of the Ring”
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