Deception Pass State Park - Headlands / Rosario Head / Lighthouse Point — Friday, Apr. 15, 2016

Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area

Tax Day Hike and I'm even with the government for another year. We began at the Rosario Beach park. After a short visit to the beach we headed up Rosario Head with the and did the loop. Up there was our first encounter with the wildflowers blooming; Blue Camas and Paint Brush and many more but I was unable to identify them. We then dropped down to take the trail above Sharpe bay and then Bowman Bay. Once at the camping and picnic area on Bowman Bay we passed the many CCC structures that look like they will last for years to come. We continued on up the next short steep headland and down to the spit (trombolo) between Bowman Bay and Lottie Bay that provides passage to Reservation Head and Lighthouse Point. There we were among more wildflowers, cedars, Douglas firs, pines and Madronas. My partner kids me about my moth-to-a flame love of madrona trees. The trees living and dead draw me to them with their red color, twisted shapes and smooth bark. We headed back to Rosario beach for a 4.7 mile hike. The trail is in good condition through out but of course, if you have kids or dogs, it is good to know that the headlands have abrupt rock cliffs, some with overhangs that are eroding. We had special show on Reservation Head above Lottie Bay watching two seals playing around, diving and slapping their tails on the surface.