I got to hike this one with Surviving Urban and his family, which was so much fun! Ebey's Landing is a lovely loop hike in a gorgeous corner of Whidbey Island. Technically speaking, the Landing is a national park, but you don't need a pass for it, partially because a large part of the preserve is on private property. The wildflowers are out right now, but on their way out. We saw lupine, cow parsley, and a very interesting yellow daisy-like flower that of course I didn't take a photo of. Next time. The trail is clearly marked from the Prairie Overlook trailhead and easy to stay on, though at a couple of points along the bluff it splits, and there are a few ways down as it switchbacks to the beach. However, there's only one way that isn't a straight-down sandy slope, so take that one. As far as respecting LNT goes, take the trail that looks like it's the most well-used, at least until the other trails are officially blocked or decommissioned. Hiking along the beach, we saw jellyfish, crabs, even part of a cod that something had made a meal of. Not much else though, because the fog was thick while we were down on the beach. Fortunately, the weather had cleared by the time we got back up onto the prairie, and Mount Baker was just sitting on the horizon saying hello. We finished up in warm weather and sunlight, with only one mishap of the stinging nettle variety right before we got to the car. The trail from the Prairie Overlook parking lot has an access trail to the main Ebey's Landing trail that is quite overgrown. The stinging nettle got me and one other person in our group on our way back. Be on the lookout for it. One more thing to note: the dogs at one of the houses along the main trail just before the trail to the parking lot. They're mostly bark and no bite, but keep young ones close by just in case. Overall, a great day and a really nice hike with some great company.

We began the hike at the Prairie Overlook trailhead next to Sunnyside Cemetery. On the way we stopped at the Jacob Ebey House and blockhouse to catch up on some history of the area and then headed west on Ebey's Prairie Trail. From there on a clear day, and it was, you have a unique view of Mount Baker and the Cascades to the west, Mount Rainier to the south and The Olympic Mountains to the west. We turned south and headed up the south shoulder of Perego's Bluff and right away we were surrounded by masses of purple flowers (Woolly Vetch or a type of wild sweet pea?). We then followed the trail along the 200 foot bluff above Perego's Lake and then took the steep trail that descends to the beach just north of Perego's Lake. This section of the trail is made with a bit more confidence for me by the use of trekking poles. We proceeded back south along the beach between the surf and Perego's Lake to Ebey's Landing and then completed the loop back up to the Ebey's Prairie Trail. This made for about a 4.5 to 5 mile hike that included some short side trips along the way. Come for the wildflowers, eagles and other birds of prey, driftwood, views of mountains, Admiralty Inlet, history, the patterns of Perego's Lake, the sound of the surf and farmlands, and more. Even though we hiked this on a Sunday, the amount of people on the trails were well spread out and you can have a nice sense of quietness.

This was an excellent hike. A little drizzle and wins today, but very much worth it. The trail had wildflowers blooming everywhere.

We began our hike from the Prairie Overlook parking lot across from the cemetery. You have a great view from the start with Mt. Baker all the way down south to Mt. Rainier. The first part of the trail is on a dirt road out to the old blockhouse and farm house from the 1850's. Then we followed along on a dirt trail by a fence line out to the junction with the "Bluff Trail". We could see the skyscrapers in Seattle. The trail gains elevation as it goes north with nice views high above the beach of Admiralty Inlet and over to the Olympic Mountains. The trail then switchbacks down to the beach just north of Perago's Lake. Once at the beach, we pulled up a log for lunch with no one else around. After eating, we headed south on the beach back to the lower parking lot by the restroom. From there we hiked north on the lower "Bluff Trail" back to the junction and went east to the Prairie View parking lot. This loop is 5.6 miles. We saw several eagles flying around, some sandpipers walking the beach and various meadow birds sitting on fence posts. Lots of purple Broadleaf Lupine and wild roses blooming along the trail. We met other hikers, one was just in his bare feet. Check this hike out on a sunny day for the wonderful scenic views. It is great that this area was kept in the Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve back in 1978.

Ebey's Landing is an incredible hike on a sunny day! We took Ebey road off of highway 20 all the way to the coast where there is ample parking and a regular concrete outhouse. The trail climbs some wooden stairs to the top of the bluff and skirts a farm field before ascending to the high bluffs. There is informative signage in several places. The trail makes a 3.5 mile loop up over the edge of the bluffs and then return along the beach. Along the way is a large lagoon which is frequented by waterfowl. The trail itself is sandy soft on the feet and free of obstructions. However, it is narrow and very exposed along the steep slopes so the height-challenged folks might be hesitant. On the other hand, the wide sweeping views are unparalleled. A stiff breeze delivers heady smell of the sea while the eyes feased on the Sound, Olympics, and islands.