Backroad Beauty... : in Snohomish County, Washington
Backroad Beauty... : in Snohomish County, Washington
Backroad Beauty... : in Snohomish County, Washington
1. Explore a National Scenic Byway. 2. Where to spot a "hidden" volcano. 3. How Big 4 Mountain got its name. 4. Drive-to waterfalls. 5. Views from the ferries. 6. A berry good time
Please note: Mountain Loop Hwy and various parts of the Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest were hit hard by excess rain in October of 2003. Many parts of this area may be inaccessible. For further assistance call Darrington Ranger District at 360-691-7791.
Forest Fees:
You'll need to buy a $5 (Day pass) permit to park at nearly all trailheads on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. That's year-round. The only exception is the Heather Meadows area at Mt. Baker. Annual passes are $30. Pick one up at any Forest Service office. Or get one at the Snohomish County Visitor Information Center at Heritage Park (exit 181 off of I-5) in Lynnwood. Open 7 days a week from 9a.m.-5p.m. The Forest Service is using the fees to pay for trail repairs.
Think of Snohomish County as your gateway to some of the most incredible views on Puget Sound. And you can take in most of those views from the comfort of your car. or a Washington state ferry. From our national scenic byway you could spot a mountain goat grazing on a distant craggy peak, watch cascading waterfalls, or see hillsides awash in wildflowers, all in a morning's drive. There's plenty off-road scenery too. Stop to pluck your own fresh blueberries at a U-pick farm nestled up against the Cascades. Hop on a Washington State ferry in Edmonds or Mukilteo for some of the most spectacular views around Puget Sound and the Cascade and Olympic ranges. On the pages that follow is a sampling of some of the "drive-by-beauty" in Snohomish County.
Snohomish County Tourism Bureau 909 SE Everett Mall Way, C-300 (425) 348-5802 Fax (425) 348-5701 1-888-338-0976 www.snohomish.org
Fossil Finds:
The whole Northwest was under water during the time dinosaurs roamed our planet, but that makes it easy to find the remains of that sea life today. Here are some good spots to find fossils: 4 miles up the road turning off to the Big Four Ice Caves look for a wide turnout with two vandalized markers with a thick bed of black shale protruding from the road. As you step out of your car, chances are good that you'll crush a plant fossil or two. Glacial forces pushed fossilized plants and sea life up into what are now the Cascade Mountains. A mile up the road is Coal Lake, one of the county's most accessible alpine lakes.it's only 40 feet from the parking lot. More fossils await you there.
Floods washed out the paved road leading to that ghost town, but you can walk or mountain bike the 4-mile dirt road to reach it. About half the town is still privately owned, so please respect the no trespassing signs. About halfway around the loop youll come to the Big Four Picnic Area and trail leading to a viewpoint into the Big Four Ice Caves. In the 1920s thousands of tourists arrived here by train to stay in the swank Big Four Inn, which burned in 1949. But the lush meadow, beaver ponds, picnic area, and of course, the awesome view of Big Four Mountain remain. From the parking lot theres a gentle 1-mile trail through a forest carpeted with wildflowers, and leading up to the Big Four Ice Caves. From the trail you can get a good look up into the caves, really tubes formed in the toe of an ice field by warm air flowing off the mountain in late spring and early summer.
Snohomish County Tourism Bureau 909 SE Everett Mall Way, C-300 (425) 348-5802 Fax (425) 348-5701 1-888-338-0976 www.snohomish.org
Or from the Mountain Loop Highway, turn off Forest Service Road 20 onto White Chuck Road, and then go to the end of White Chuck Trail.
Snohomish County Tourism Bureau 909 SE Everett Mall Way, C-300 (425) 348-5802 Fax (425) 348-5701 1-888-338-0976 www.snohomish.org
4. Waterfalls to Watch
There are 18 waterfalls to watch, but some of the prettiest dont require leaving your car. Others are easy to reach on foot: 1. Bridal Veil Falls
Wild ones:
At least 23 varieties of wild berries ripen in Northwest forests. First on the scene each spring is the yellowish salmon berry. Its shaped just like a raspberry and is found in wet areas from July to September. Next comes the blackcap, which actually looks like a tiny, burgundy raspberry. Its popular. because its very sweet, and youll find it in rocky, drier areas. Huckleberries draw all sorts of Northwesterners to the forest in late July. They look like domestic blueberries, but come in both red and blue.
down, forming two wispy veils in the summer. Visible from US Hwy 2 about mile east of the turnoff to Index.
2. Sunset Falls
About 1.5 miles east of Index also off US Highway 2. Its one of the widest sections on the South Fork of the Skykomish River. You can see how the gray-black rock at the falls has been worn smooth by centuries of flowing water.
3. Wallace Falls
This spectacular 265-foot falls near Gold Bar on US 2 is worth the hike. A seven mile loop trail takes you to the falls. Waterfall Safety:
Stay on trails Avoid wet logs & Wear lug-soled
rocks
shoes
4. Granite Falls
... 1.5 miles north of town, water froths along South Fork Stillaguamish in a series of descents totaling 30 to 40 feet. A short trail leads to the falls from a parking area. A 580-ft fishway connects the top and bottom parts of the river.
Thimbleberries are last to ripen up in wetter areas in August. They look like a blackcap, only medium red. Many people prefer their tart taste to the sweeter blackcap. The blackberry is ubiquitous in the Northwest all summer long, and comes in two types, Himalaya and Dewberry. Look along any road or trail in the county - bring a pail!
Water thunders 80 feet along the Sauk River. Take the Mtn. Loop south from Darrington to Forest Service Road 49. Turn left and look for Trail #660. 1/4 mile walk to the falls.
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Snohomish County Tourism Bureau 909 SE Everett Mall Way, C-300 (425) 348-5802 Fax (425) 348-5701 1-888-338-0976 www.snohomish.org