Photo Journal Skagit and Beyond

  Hike stats Distance: 2.5 miles round-trip (road walk) Elevation gain: ~350 ft Difficulty: Easy Some waterfalls wait for summer to show off. Gilligan Creek Falls is not one of them. I went in mid-November after a week of cold rain, and the falls were absolutely roaring.   Getting there & parking   Drive east on Highway 20 to Sedro Wooley and turn right  onto Highway 9  south.  Turn right onto South Skagit Highway and drive for about 5 miles.  Turn right onto Old Day Creek Road. Drive 1.0 mile on Old Day Creek Road (paved, then good gravel). Look for the second gated logging road  (the first one is usually overgrown and blocked with brush). The correct gate is wide, obvious, and has PUD Water related signs. NO restroom. Park along the shoulder near the gate (room for 3–4 cars if everyone parks tight). Tip: Highway 9 North → Old Day Creek Road route is the fastest and most straightforward way from Everett or Marysville. Walk up the gated r...

Pine & Cedar Lakes   Trail Stats Distance: 5 miles round-trip Elevation gain: 1,400 ft Highest point: 1,600 ft Difficulty: Moderate (one steep mile, then easy) Time: 2–3 hours Best season: Year-round — fall is unbeatable Dogs: Allowed on leash   The Hike: A Perfect Fall Morning in the Chuckanuts I started up the wide, soft old roadbed and felt the burn right away — the first mile climbs a steady 12–15 % through second-growth Douglas-fir and hemlock. Thick duff cushioned every step, and big-leaf maple leaves the size of dinner plates drifted down.   After a mile the trail narrowed into rooty Chuckanut singletrack — moss-draped rocks and short wooden puncheon bridges every few hundred yards over the seeps.   At mile 1.6 the grade finally eased. I took the left at the signed junction and rolled gently southeast. Pine Lake hit like a postcard. The water was mirror-still. Two fisherman showed me a rainbow-cutthroat hybrid they had caught, one of several, thick ...

Maple Pass Loop in Washington’s North Cascades during peak golden larch season is an unforgettable destination. Starting at 10 a.m mid October, we faced fog, cold, and light snow at the top, with slippery trails requiring layers, gloves, and trekking poles. The golden larches and red blueberry leaves were stunning, making the 7.2-mile loop worth it despite the weather.  Golden larches, specifically Western larches (Larix occidentalis), are deciduous conifers that shed their vibrant yellow needles each fall, creating a stunning autumn display in Washington State. They thrive in the North Cascades and other high-elevation areas (3,000–7,000 feet), preferring well-drained, rocky soils in cool, moist climates with full sun. In Washington, you’ll find them in places like the Maple Pass Loop, where they glow against rocky slopes and meadows in mid-October. Unlike evergreen conifers, their needles drop annually, regrowing soft green in spring. They tolerate harsh winters but need cold t...

  If you're chasing that perfect blend of heart-pounding challenge and jaw-dropping rewards, let me introduce you to Mount Pilchuck—a hidden gem (okay, not that hidden) in Washington's North Cascades that punches way above its weight. Tucked away in Mount Pilchuck State Park, this hike isn't your leisurely forest stroll; it's a steep, rocky ascent that delivers you to a historic fire lookout with 360-degree views that'll make you forget the burn in your quads.   Why Hike Mount Pilchuck? The Allure of the Fire Lookout Picture this: You've clawed your way up 2,300 feet of boulder-strewn switchbacks, and suddenly, you're standing on a wraparound balcony overlooking Mount Baker's icy dome to the north, Mount Rainier's brooding silhouette to the south, and the jagged Olympics teasing the horizon to the west. That's the payoff at Mount Pilchuck's summit (5,327 feet), where a restored 1921 fire lookout perches like a sentinel over the wilds. Built i...