Photos by Robert Batt

View toward Point Roberts from Birch Bay State Park. Whatcom County.

Achlys triphylla. Along the Evergreen Trail in Rockport State Park. Skagit County.

View over Birch Bay towards Point Roberts. Birch Bay State Park. Whatcom County.

Along the well-named Evergreen Trail in Rockport State Park.

Ancient fir tree toppled in a 1974 storm, Evergreen Trail, Rockport State Park.

View from Illabot Creek Forest Service Road 16, Mt Baker Ranger District.

South end of the beach trail, looking north along the west coast of Whidbey Island.

One of the beach access trails goes steeply down. South Whidbey State Park, west side of Whidbey Island.

Kayakers going west through Deception Pass, near Fidalgo Island. Deception Pass State Park.

Civilian Conservation Corps dedication plaque to the CCC workers in Washington State. Bowman Bay CCC camp, Deception Pass State Park.

Monument in Deception Pass State Park, Bowman Bay, to the Civilian Conservation Corps workers.

Welcome sign at main park entrance.

View of Lummi Peak (Lummi Point) from the Whatcom Chief Ferry that goes to Lummi Island from Gooseberry Point on the mainland. The Baker Preserve Trail goes near to the summit seen in the photo.

From the overlook viewpoint at the end of the Baker Preserve trail, Lummi Island.

Looking west towards San Juan Islands from Larrabee State Park

Fragrance Lake Trail, Larrabee State Park

Reflection in Fragrance Lake, Larrabee State Park. Photo by Robert Batt.

The Forest Service has done a great job improving the trail to Lake Dorothy. Some hikers might say too great a job, since it is so easy now to hike to the lake.

First view hikers see of Lake Dorothy from the outlet stream.

Cougar and Skyline Divides on Mt. Baker, seen from Church Mountain

After hiking uphill in the forest for a couple of hours, you break out into this large alpine meadow, with the summit ahead of you. The day I was there was partly cloudy: sometimes the summit was in view, sometimes not.

View south from the Church Mountain trail towards Cougar and Skyline Divides.

Trailside floral display on the way up Church Mountain.

After all the effort to hike up to Lake Serene, the views were limited because of the clouds. Eventually the clouds lifted a little bit.

Most hikers stop for lunch on this big rock overlooking Lake Serene.

Always moving, these chipmunks are difficult to photograph. This one stayed on and around the big rock where hikers often stop for lunch, eating the morsels of food left by humans.

View north from Anderson Point over Baker Lake: Mt. Baker on the left, Mt. Shuksan on the right; Horseshoe Cove Campground along the shore, left and center.

Several scenic campsites at Anderson Point, on a short side trail off the Baker Lake Trail just north of Anderson Creek. Across the lake is Horseshoe Cove Campground and Mt Baker above. We saw a black bear on the side trail, but it had no interest in us, only in the berries it was eating.