Take a Walk
Location: Anacortes.
Length: About a 2-mile loop.
Level of difficulty: Level-to-moderate dirt/gravel trail, somewhat muddy in places after rain. Many roots/rocks make trail slippery in winter, so wear sturdy footwear and use caution (not difficult in places to take a misstep into the shallow lake).
Setting: Set off for a hike in the Anacortes Community Forest Lands (ACFL), a splendid 2,800-acre preserve in the heart of Fidalgo Island within the city limits of Anacortes.
By Cathy McDonald | January 5, 2006
ANACORTES -- As a place to prop yourself against a driftwood log and contemplate the mountains and the sea, few places are better than Pelican Beach.
As a place to glide through fluttering forests of bull kelp and spot things such as porpoises rolling in tide rips and seals peering at you with liquid-moon eyes, you can't much beat Cypress Island.
By Greg Johnston | September 15, 2005
The budget outing:
If you've only ever sped through Anacortes on your way to catch a ferry, it's time to stop and smell the tidewaters.
By Brian J. Cantwell | March 3, 2005
IT USED TO BE that American small towns were disappearing because everyone moved away. Now they're disappearing because people are moving in.
Some small towns in King, Pierce, Snohomish and Kitsap counties have simply been surrounded by sprawl.
By William Dietrich | February 20, 2005
Take a Walk
Location: Anacortes.
Length: One-mile loop (with plans for additional trails).
Level of difficulty: Level-to-moderate dirt/gravel trail.
By Cathy McDonald | March 18, 2004
Short Trips
ANACORTES -- Shamefully, I've always considered Anacortes as a destination in Northwest Washington where I could catch a ferry to the San Juans or Vancouver Island. In fact, over the years I've heard others refer to Anacortes like it was the Washington State Ferries terminal.
That's not fair to Anacortes.
Last week, instead of taking a left turn on 12th Street from Commercial Avenue and driving to the ferry terminal, I drove straight ahead into downtown Anacortes. I'm embarrassed to say it was my first-ever visit.
By Jeff Larsen | February 12, 2004
Birders' Top Spots
Location: Anacortes.
Habitat: A 200-acre, family-friendly municipal park with cedar, fir and madrona forest, grassy bluffs and boulder-strewn coastline.
Best seasons for birding: Good birding year-round.
November 6, 2003
Take a Walk
Location: Fidalgo Island (south of Anacortes).
Length: Half-mile to two miles round trip.
Level of difficulty: Level-to-gentle dirt/gravel trail.
Setting: This short extendable walk offers a beguiling introduction to the 18 miles of trails and 4,134 acres of cliffs, conifer forests and rugged beaches of Deception Pass State Park. From the parking lot, the trail leads to a short loop around Rosario Head, a small rocky promontory. To extend your jaunt, follow a path east along the shore that climbs above Bowman Bay.
By Cathy McDonald | October 23, 2003
It may be too late to visit the tulips for which the Skagit Valley is famous, but you still can capture the magic of spring by hiking some of the trails in the area.
With the Anacortes Community Forest Lands hiking guide you can easily string together enough hikes to make a full day of it. The guide gives descriptions for trails on Mount Erie, Whistle Lake and Heart Lake State Park. Since the trails are numbered and have many connections, the guide will help keep beginning hikers out of trouble.
By Karen Sykes | May 4, 2000
