Walk along the upper bluffs and then you make your way down to the beach and return making a loop. Wear sunscreen/hat as needed you are not in the trees at all.

I got to the trail at 9am and was the only person on the beach. I hadn't planned on doing the loop but the beach was perfect; that rare mix of firm sand and a low tide. It was easy walking on the sandy beach past Perego Lake to hit the switchbacks up to the top. The views were stellar at the top and I sat and enjoyed them to give the dog a rest. The old girl has really slowed down in the past 6 months and this was probably at the upper limits of what she can do now. But I am finding that a slower pace to accommodate her allows me to enjoy and notice things like the dragonflies and Monarch butterflies. The loop down the beach, across the bluff and then back down to the car was 3.6 miles according to Map My Hike. If you like solitude than midweek early morning is the best option for this popular hike.

We started off at the Prairie Overlook trailhead. We were walking on gravel for a bit but that gave way to good old grass soon enough. Jacob Ebey's house was cool to see. I loved that stretch right after Jacob Ebey's house, it was like walking through a meadow. I think that was my favorite part of the whole trip. Watch your step, my husband missed a step and sprained his ankle here. It got pretty steep after that we ended up on top of the bluffs. We could see down and it was pretty intimidating.

This was my second hike of the day (the first being Deception pass). We started at the Prairie Overlook Trailhead by the cemetery (which I recommend for the scenery aspect alone). We hit the trail at about 1:30pm and immediately we start passing lovely meadows and wildlife that lead up to an abandoned house that has been preserved for historical purposes. After this you are hit with plains and meadows as far as the eye can see! This farmland portrait with mountains cluttering the background is a great moment to stop and enjoy the view before you take the path to the right towards the water. Now, this part of the trail is jaw-dropping. You make a small ascension to the top of a hill which gives you a great top-down view of the Haro Strait and Perego's Lagoon. As you walk on the hill with a constant view of the water, there is also wildflowers aplenty. We got to see some cool plant life and also some butterflies/other insects that added some diversity to the trail. The loop trail actually takes you around the lagoon as you eventually descend from the hill and make your way to the sandy beachfront. The last part of the hike is all flat on the beachfront and it gives you a good opportunity to catch some rays and keep an eye out for sea life (unfortunately we did not get to see any). You then take a left before the seaside parking lot to hit the trail that takes you back to the cemetery.We were able to make it back by 4:45pm, putting our total hike time at 3 hours and 15 minutes (including small breaks and time for pictures). Overall, amazing day-hike that is a must-do on a sunny day. Also, there is a brewery (Flyers Restaurant & Brewery) nearby in Oak Harbor that serves amazing food and pretty good brews! It is a good place to end the day.

Awesome views! Saw rhinoceros auklet, Hawks, many songbirds, killdeer, swallows. Took a large group, around 20 people. Carpooled out and took ferry home.