Deception Pass State Park - Goose Rock — Tuesday, May. 3, 2022

This was a second choice hike because the weather didn't cooperate, but we were sure lucky to do this one today. So Many Flowers!! The rhodies are still in tight bud, but the rocky meadows along the parameter trail were in full bloom. We started at the North Beach, hiked up under the bridge and along the parameter trail. At an unsigned intersection where the trail forks, go left (downhill). This trail is not as wide and established as the main trail, but still easy to follow. It is narrow as it winds along the side of the bluff. Do not step off the trail and trample the delicate flowers, they are all well within camera range anyway. This side trail is not a good one for dogs or kids because it is so narrow. Eventually it meets up with the main parameter trail.  Hike up to the summit of Goose and there are more flowers in the 'balds' along the top. It was cold, windy and cloudy on top, we snapped a few pics and ate our lunch out of the wind further down the trail. We crossed under the highway at the tunnel and hiked on the road, then back on the West Beach trail. Our main reason for checking this out was to see the new bridge that was put in on the West Beach, just past the Ampitheater. We were part of the WTA crew that tore out the old one last fall. We met the ranger down there and he remembered us. We did not know it, but this is the 100th anniversary of Deception Pass State Park! The Deception Pass Bridge is all done with the new paint job and the parking lot is now open for parking. Remember your Discover Pass. Here is a list of the flowers we saw:  paintbrush, sea blush, buttercup, blue camas, white death camas, chickweed, yellow desert parsley, purple sanicle (looks like purple desert parsley) naked broomrape, some kind of yellow daisy, western starflower and calypso orchid. We got in about 6 miles.