Ebey’s Landing was beautiful as usual. The tide was as high as I’ve ever seen it so we decided to do out and back along the bluff with a loop around the prairie. No issues with the trail. 
Happy New Year! Hope everyone is making some fun hiking resolutions. 

This hike is scenic from start to finish.  We did the Ebey's Bluff Loop which returns along the beach.  The trail is soft and sandy in places but is in good condition.

We also visited nearby Fort Casey which was very interesting.  This battery was used from 1890's until 1920 to protect Seattle from a potential sea attack. The 10 inch guns and the Admiralty Lighthouse were the highlights

RT 

Fed up with trying to predict where the smoke from the Bolt Fire was headed we decided to go for a safe bet for clean air with a hike at Ebey's Landing.  This is normally a winter hike for us so it was interesting to see it as it heads into fall.  We arrived from the north and parked at the cemetery lot which is a great choice for finding easy to access spaces, plenty there when we arrived at 10:30 on a Sunday.  It's pretty breezy though so also a good time to add an extra jacket to your pack. 

Once along the track and after turning north along the cliff trail the wind eased and the sun made it feel pretty warm although the real temps were around the mid 60s.  The path up to the top of the cliff is a bit soft which is different to winter.  Colors are mostly tawny colored grass with white berries and red hips on the shrubs, but there are still some yellow blooms hanging on.  The views out to the Olympics were good, no smoke here and the water that intense shade of blue you only see in the fall sun before it is claimed by winter's clouds.

On the way back we hiked next to  the lagoons then switched over to the beach.  Every time I hike here I swear next time I will check the tide chart, but there we were again having to hike high on the beach to avoid the waves.  It's a slog, taking your pick from awkward soft sand or shape shifting cobbles.  Next time lol.  By the time we reached the beach parking lot spaces were at a premium and the trail was beginning to feel busy but for us it was a quick jaunt back to the junction and then east again past the block tower to our car.

It's only a half day hike so after we finished we drove on for ten minutes to Fort Casey State Park and had lunch by the light house there.  Then plenty of time to stop in Langley for ice cream followed by a super easy no line ferry trip back to Mukilteo. 

The Bluff Trail Loop begins at a relatively steep incline, but it gets the hard work over with first. A push to the top rewards you with a majestic and expansive view into the sound where you can see the sun sparkling on the water. The trail is narrow and only allows for single lane pass through, requiring others to step aside and let you pass if they are coming the opposite direction. As the trail begins, you have the ocean with it's beating waters to your left and a smattering of sandy brush and trees to your right that hug the edge of the trail. On the hike up the ridge, it can often be a little difficult to get a grip with your shoes with such soft ground. At the top of the Bluff, we saw a series of whale watching ferries and were generously blessed to see a pod of orcas coming up to surface, whose blowholes we could hear at a distance as we saw their white facial patches rise above the water. Truly magical. We were treated to a series of switchbacks on the way down to the beach, where we were then able to take the rest of the loop back at a slow and leisurely pace, scanning the beach for interesting critters and trinkets. 

The official beach trailhead parking lot (roughly a dozen cars) was full on Saturday at 2:20 pm but the road along the beach still had a few places on the shoulder even though there were about 40 cars.  The shoulder parking did not require a Discover Pass.

We walked the beach a bit. It was pleasantly compact sand so easy going.

We also drove by the parking lots at the bluff trailhead. The cemetery lot (a dozen cars) had a few openings, and the second lot was about half full (approx. 16 capacity).

Maybe it was the heat and smoky air that kept more people away? BTW, the temp on the beach was more pleasant than on the bluff.