Cedar Springs Christian Retreat Center in Sumas is a private retreat that is open to the public during the week when unoccupied (See link below for website. You'll find a map under resources). You must stop at the office and sign a waiver before accessing the four miles of trails.
Today was my father-in-law's last day in his eighties! We started on the Haystack Lookout Trail. This road turned trail climbs gently until a fork where going right it climbs steeply to the Pond Loop Trail, while going straight continues on as the Homestead Trail. At the Pond Loop junction we found the steep trail that climbs 80 feet to the 'Lookout' by going right. The trail gets narrow near the top with a sharp drop off as it circles around to the peak, so it's a good place to hold young hands. At the top the trail makes a small drop to an open outcrop with a bench. Though the fog had cleared, the view into Canada was still obscured, but we could see much of the valley below. Back at the Pond Loop Trail, we went left and past the Lookout Trail junction a short distance to descend the Lookout Connector Trail. This was very muddy and despite some well-placed logs we slipped a few times. Reaching the Homestead Trail, we turned left and returning back to the original fork, we took an 'additional path' right to go down to the Trestles Trail between the second and third trestle. This trail crosses four trestles but turning left we only crossed the first two on our return. Though the second one which we crossed first isn't too dramatic, the first one is the highest at sixty feet off the ground and has a dramatic view to Saar Creek about one hundred twenty feet below.
From there we walked the trail back through the beautiful gardens with large reflecting ponds. It's an absolutely beautiful setting that we will return to again. We traveled 2.6 miles with 472 feet of gain today.
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