It was another loverly Wednesday morning so I went back to Deception Pass State Park for more hiking fun. My route started from the Cranberry Lake day-use area (huge parking lot nobody uses, except in summer) and passed along the North Beach Trail to the bridge. The North Beach Trail closure near the bridge has been reopened, though I’m not sure if it’s an official reopening, as the barricades are still there but have been pushed to the side. All the same, many people were passing to and fro along the “closed?” section of trail.
I skipped Goose Rock this time around and crossed the bridge to see Lottie Bay, Lighthouse Point and Rosario Head. At the statue of Ko-Kwal-alwoot, the story of the Maiden of Deception Pass is becoming weathered and difficult to read, but you can still decipher most of it.
After Rosario, I went over to Pass Lake and explored some of the trails there. I almost got carried away following the PNT route north, but forced myself to turn around as it got later. There are some great local views along the ridge above Pass Lake, and the west lake loop is steep and makes for a nice leg-burner.
All the trails are in excellent shape as usual but some places are very muddy, so expect wet feet. I wore gaiters, which was a bit overkill, but nice all the same. Other than mud and some tree roots, the main trails are all quite tame and easy to hike. There are about a billion and a half social trails at this park though, and some of them can be very sketchy. Be careful and keep dogs on leash near the sea cliffs! Some trails run right up to the precipice and dogs, especially small ones, might not see the edge coming.
In all, this was another fantabulous outing to Deception Pass. In addition to the hiking, I got to sit and watch a family of seal fish in the waters near Pass Island. I rooted for a remote-controlled sailboat race at Rosario Head, and discovered the remains of an old house near the PNT. Good times!
“Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.”
-Lewis Carroll, “Jabberwocky”
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