We barely saw a drop of rain this summer, which made it perfect for getting outside and hitting the trails around the Northwest. But as any trail lover knows, those paths don’t magically stay in shape. They need care — real hands-on work -- to keep them safe and enjoyable.
One of those trails, lovingly looked after by the Skagit Land Trust, climbs Guemes Mountain on Guemes Island. Trail maintenance isn’t just about tossing some gravel around—it takes a trained eye to spot trouble spots, especially where water likes to misbehave. And it takes a crew of willing folks to roll up their sleeves and get dirty to fix the problems.
So that’s what we did. A dozen of us met up at the trailhead on Saturday, ready to lend a hand. Jonathan Worley, Emily Schauble, and Max Morange from the Trust had already scouted the trail and had a solid list of projects lined up. Tools were laid out for us, along with hard hats, gloves, and plenty of energy bars to keep us fueled.
After a warm welcome and some quick intros, we split into two teams, grabbed our gear, and headed up the trail.
Guemes Mountain has a cool backstory. In 2009, the community rallied to protect it, and by 2011, Skagit Land Trust teamed up with Washington Trails Association and 175 volunteers to build the 1.2-mile trail to the summit. It’s the highest point on Guemes Island, with views of the San Juans and Mount Baker.
The mountain was logged back in the ’90s, but now it’s bouncing back with alder, willow, and other early-successional species. The bald summit? It’s believed to have been bigger once, possibly maintained by Coast Salish tribes as a camas harvesting spot.
Thanks to conservation efforts, this gem stays wild and open for all of us to enjoy.
Our job that day was to get the trail back into good shape. One team tackled a steep section, smoothing it out to help with runoff. My team focused on fixing water bars—those little trenches that guide rainwater off the trail—and cleaning out drainage ditches. We also had to stabilize the halfway point bench, which had nearly launched Jonathan off it earlier in the week.
We worked like champs, hauling rocks, digging holes, and clearing debris. At one point, a hiker passed by and joked he’d help on his way back down. We chuckled and kept working.
But an hour later, there he was—Chris, freshly moved to Anacortes just three days earlier. He saw what we were up to and jumped right in, helping us secure that wobbly bench with some serious muscle and clever ideas. Jonathan gave it a test stand (don’t try this at home), and it held firm. Chris stuck around for the rest of the morning, helping with all our projects. We swapped stories and local tips to help him get settled.
After helping for three solid hours, we made it to the summit, kicked back with sandwiches and snacks, and soaked in the views—and the good vibes. On the way down, we admired our handiwork, proud of what we’d done together. The trail was ready for fall!
That night, the rain finally came. A good, soaking rain.
And I slept like a rock.
Directions
Directions: From Anacortes, take the Guemes Ferry at 6th and "I" to Guemes Island, then drive, bike, or walk two miles east to the trailhead for Guemes Mountain.
Biking or Walking: The road has no shoulder but little traffic, rolls gently, and winds along the beautiful shoreline before heading inland to the trailhead.
Mobility: The Guemes Mountain Trail climbs about 600 feet on a mostly dirt surface with occasional rocks, roots, and drainage swales.