The boyfriendo surprised me with a New Year’s trip to one of my favorite cities–Bend, Oregon–for some snowshoeing. But there was no snow!
hikes available year round
Shi Shi Beach
Mama Boots had dreamed of hiking Shi Shi Beach for years–she called it a bucket list hike. We finally ventured out to see it for ourselves!
Lizard/Lily Lake
The mission: Find an easy backpacking trip that would be both close to home and not crowded. We managed to luck out with all three!
Perrygin Lake Trail
As mentioned last week, I spent ten days in beautiful Winthrop, WA dogsitting for my in-laws. I decided to treat all three dogs to a stroll at Perrygin Lake State Park. If you think a novice should be walking three dogs at once, don’t.
Issaquah Alps–Anti-Aircraft Peak Loop
The ‘Issaquah Alps” is the unofficial name for the mountainous lands around Issaquah, including Poo Poo Point, Cougar Mountain, Squak Mountain, Tiger Mountain, and Rattlesnake Ledge. There’s miles of trails here, with a little something for everyone!
Cascade Lake & Moran State Park
As I’ve mentioned, Orcas Island is the most rugged of the San Juan Islands, at least for those wanting to hike. The peak of the island, Mount Constitution, is inside Moran State Park–but there’s easier hikes too!
Turtlehead Summit
The San Juan Islands are a wonderous retreat. While there’s nearly 200 named islands, the big ones–Lopez, San Juan, and Orcas–are easily accessible by ferry. Orcas is the most rugged of the San Juans in terms of hiking peaks and valleys.
North Seattle Park & Brewery Guide
Here’s a quick referenmce guide of some great trails in the Seattle-North area accessible year-round, with no parking pass required–and the breweries to pair them with!
Snohomish County Park & Brewery Guide
Between a job that has me actually working most of the time and a new puppy, I am SERIOUSLY dropping the ball on posting. With the pup needing shorter distances, shorter car rides, and snow-free trails, we’ve been exploring some of the local park and trail networks. I’ve posted about Lord Hill, Lime Kiln, Heybrook […]
Wallace Lake
A Schrodinger’s hike exists–one both so crowded that parking is a feat, but so uncrowded you might not see a soul till the end. This hike is also nice and close, in the town of Gold Bar. I’m talking about not Wallace Falls, but Wallace Lake.