I had a hankering to be among big trees, so I went to Deception Pass. Parking at the Park Headquarters, I admired the native landscaping, then walked into the woods. As I started the hike, I heard the robins nagging, nagging, nagging, and the junco warning. The crows joined in to make a real raucous. They were pointing out an owl sitting just above me. I tried to get a clear view, but its back was turned. So I climbed the hill on the opposite side of the tree and looked up, but its back was still turned. Playing hard to get. Eventually, I got a good photo and then left the poor creature trying to get a little shut eye on one of the longest days of the year.
- For a map of Deception Pass State Park click here.
There are big trees here. They’ve been standing for centuries and the phrase “holding up the sky” kept coming to mind. Huge cedars, Douglas fir and a lowly little yew, which has its own special magic. It’s where we got the medicine taxol that stops cancer cells in their tracks. It was a lovely day and I was not thinking of cancer. I was thinking how striking the red elderberry looks against its green leaves, and the red salmonberry and the red saprophytes. They grow out of the rotting detritus of the forest without producing green leaves, no photosynthesis needed.
I took my time, hiking the Discovery Trail, a different way than I’d gone before. This trail took me under the road through an impressive stone archway built by the CCC during the Great Depression. The traffic noise faded away as I approached North Beach and encountered a stream of tourists. I climbed alongside a rock wall and under the bridge, paused to appreciate the woven struts that hold up the highway overhead. Then I climbed up and up and up through the trees to the summit of Goose Rock.
A butterfly caught my eye. When it landed I tried to get a picture. But it laid flat and, from where I stood, nearly disappeared. I was about to turn away when it flittered up and toward me. I waited for it to land. It laid flat again. I waited and it did another circle around the clearing. I settled in and watched it circle and land, circle and land. It came so close I thought it might land on me. Enchanting. Perhaps, with it's magic dance, it is also holding up the sky.
The view over Deception Island and the San Juans was clear but to the south the sky turned hazy. The stone summit offered a sunny seat. The sparce tree cover offered shade. I drank some water and let the breeze cool my sweaty back as I sat gazing across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the distant Olympics shrouded in clouds.
The Perimeter Trail led down by some big fallen trees, under one, around another. Then curving as the trail followed the water. Trees screened the views of Ben Ure Island and Cornet Bay. Emerging from the woods the trail narrowed and climbed onto steep slopes with a few wildflowers, stonecrop, yarrow, hare bells. Madronas clung to rocky ledges. The marina across the bay hosted clusters of white boats on the shimmering blue waters. An oyster catcher called. A kingfisher answered. Up, up, up I climbed and then down into the trees again. Soon I was closing in on the ranger station where I began. It was time to go. I put my camera and binoculars into my pack as I walked. But just before stepping onto the parking lot, there was a pileated woodpecker, with its bright red head, pecking at a log right in front of me! I pulled my camera back out for a final photo.
Directions
Directions: From Highway 20 at Deception Pass Bridge, go south and take the first turn on the left to park at the Park Headquarters. Coming from the south, go straight through the light at Cornet Bay Road and turn right just after the gas station. Park at the Park Headquarters. A Discover Pass is required. Walk away from the road, and around the RV turnaround, to find the Goose Rock Trails and follow the signs. Restrooms are available at the nearby Quarry Pond campground.
By Bus and Bike: The fare free Route 411 Island Transit bus from Oak Harbor or March’s Point goes over Deception Pass daily. Northbound stops at the gas station next to the Park Headquarters. The Southbound bus stops at the light across the highway from the gas station. Please cross at the crosswalk. You can walk behind the store to find the trail that leads to the Park Headquarters and Goose Rock. Two bikes fit on a bus bike rack. There is no shoulder for bikes over Deception Pass. Cyclists should walk their bikes over the bridge. Please wear bright clothes if riding or walking on the shoulder of the road or waiting for the bus. This is a very busy road so take extra care. For a bus schedule, click here.
Trail Conditions: The Discovery Trail is wide, smooth and with a gentle grade between the Park Headquarters and North Beach. The trails to the summit and the Perimeter Trail have sections that are steep and narrow. You will need good hiking shoes and may want to bring a walking stick.