Washington Trails Association

In 2015, my fiancé and I took a weeklong road trip around western Washington. As shared here in this fall’s Washington Trails Magazine, that experience left such a mark that it drove our decision to move to Seattle four years later.

The natural beauty of Washington state is made accessible in large part by the Washington Trails Association and the work they do to maintain safe, sustainable, and beautiful trails on public lands.

As a member, I give to the org and receive educational materials to with recreating responsibly in the great northwest. If you also benefit from the efforts of the WTA, please consider giving back!

Fidalgo Island

About an hour and a half north of Seattle is Fidalgo Island, nearly parallel to the isolated San Juans and boasting a lush, walkable park at its southwest corner, Washington Park. Last weekend, my fiancé and I changed up the quarantine monotony and took a socially distanced hike along the Fidalgo Head Loop Trail (and a few of its various branches) through dense forest and along craggy heights.

The trail’s view across the Burrows Channel is one of the most striking things I’ve seen this close to Seattle.

Although all trail documentation online listed the park’s loop trail as easy in difficulty and fairly level (with elevation gain of under 300 feet), don’t be underprepared footwear-wise like I was. The trail is very flat across extended distances and suddenly extremely steep in short bursts, and the rocks along the cliffsides have very little purchase. There is loose dirt throughout, making some steps tricky. Definitely wear your regular hiking shoes if possible.

We left the park well in advance of sunset, but it’s on my bucket list to come back and see this shoreline during golden hour. Sunset Beach is angled slightly to the west, so I’m sure incredible light is guaranteed.

Rialto Beach

Way way up in the upper left corner of the upper left state is Rialto Beach, where the winds are buffeting and brutal and occasionally carry mountains of seafoam to shore (or even blast clumps of it through the air). Last month I toted a vintage Leica M4 to the shore and when I couldn’t get my hood-less Canon to get a properly exposed photo in the blinding white light, a roll of Porta 400 film was there to save me.

Below: a few film views of Rialto Beach that came through when digital failed me.