Escapes: Snohomish County

Snohomish County’s Best Destinations

By Hilary Meyerson

Photo at right: Lucky passengers who scored a spot on the Jetty Island Ferry. Photo courtesy of Snohomish County Tourism Bureau.

Snohomish County has an enviable location, right between the waters of Puget Sound on the west and the Cascade Mountain range on the east. Just 12 miles north of metropolitan Seattle, it is a recreation destination, with a huge range of topography.

Well-known for its scenic beauty—lush farmlands, thick forests, teeming waters and snowy peaks—it’s  one of those places you can be kayaking at sea level in the morning and hiking in the mountains by afternoon. Here are our suggestions on some of the best activities in Snohomish County.

Jetty Island

What makes Jetty Island such a popular destination in the summer is the warm sandy beaches, perfect for wading, skimboarding and shoreline picnics. Jetty Island in Everett, the county seat, has long shallow mudflats, so when the tides are just right, the sun bakes the sand for hours and when the water rolls in, it’s as warm as bathwater.

The small ferry that takes you over to the island leaves roughly every half hour and is always full. Last year, it took almost 50,000 people in July and August. Note that space on the ferry is going to be even tighter this year since the Coast Guard implemented its new heavier average person weights. Groups of 12 or more or citizens of Everett can reserve a spot. The rest of the would-be beach-goers have to be first in line as walk-ups to claim a spot. The ferry is free, but they suggest a small donation to keep the program going.

You don’t have to wait until summer: the island is open to kayakers and anyone with a boat. At any time of year, it’s a great spot to view wildlife such as sandpipers, plovers, hawks, eagles and great blue herons abound. In mid-April, the ospreys return to the island. Rangers have set up a camera in the nest, and visitors can watch the chicks via a closed circuit screen in the visitor’s kiosk.

Interurban Trail

The Interburban Trolley Line that served passengers between Everett and the rest of Snohomish County and Seattle from 1910 –1939 is gone.

However, its legacy is the 19-mile multi-use paved trail along the old trolley route. It’s a great commuter trail and a day outing, especially if you end at Silver Lake Park, Everett’s waterfront gem. Once there you can fish, swim, play disc golf, walk around the lake, or just take a break before pedaling or jogging onward.

One hundred years after its birth, the Interurban is still moving folks, but now they’re going under their own steam. Grab your bike or your favorite jogging shoes and hop on the line.

If you want to take a peek into the trail’s past, stop by Heritage Park in Lynnwood where you can take a tour of the beautifully restored Interurban Car 55 located at 19921 Poplar Way in Lynnwood.

Kayaking

There is no end to water fun in Snohomish County, but kayaking is a highlight.

For a great paddle, launch out of Marine Park in Everett, and head north into the Snohomish Delta. You’ll pass log booms where harbor seals and sea lions perch before paddling up to the old wooden barges that used to haul the lumber at the turn of the century. These barges have been sunk to stabilize the sand, but are fun to paddle around. Further north, you move into the Snohomish River Estuary, a large cormorant breeding area—keep your eyes out for osprey nests and eagles feeding.

Farmer’s Markets

Snohomish County’s 13 Farmer’s Markets have become an outdoor destination for a weekend.

The Arlington Farmer’s Market, like most, started as a way for local farmers to get their food to market.

Samantha Schuller, Communications Director of the Arlington Farmer’s Market, says, “What a good farmer’s market should do is help to foster relationships between healthy families, seasonal food, and the community as a whole. This is a critical time for people to be able to plug back into their communities, and the market provides that hub.”

While there are many other things to tempt someone to the market on a summer day, it’s still the goods that take center stage. What’s Samantha’s favorite?

“Donut peaches from Smallwood Farms,” she says. “They only have a three-week season in August. That’s the great thing about going to a farmer’s market. When you get things there each week, you get a sense of seasonal freshness and when food is best. ‘Oh wow, you think, this is what a peach is supposed to taste like.’ ”

The Arlington Farmer’s Market is open on Saturdays in the summer, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. in Legion Memorial Park, downtown Arlington—right off the Centennial Trail.

Future of Flight — Boeing Tour

Boeing has been giving tours of its Everett plant for years, but in 2005, the Future of Flight Aviation Center and Gallery opened, making a stop a must for any Northwest traveler. This is the only place in North America where you can tour a commercial jet assembly plant.

The first thing everyone is struck by is the sheer size of the building—billed as the largest building in the world by volume at 472 million cubic feet. Can’t wrap your head around that? Think of it this way: all of Disneyland can fit inside and still leave 12 acres for covered parking.

Over 200,000 guests toured the plant last year where it’s common to spend all day on the interactive exhibits and displays, including at the Aviation Zone where guests get to design their own aircraft.

However, the star of the show is still the plant tour. Seeing how people come together and assemble a plane we all might travel in someday is a unique sight.

Sandy Ward, Marketing Director, agrees. “The highlight for me is seeing three distinctively different aircraft assembly processes (at the same time) including the 787 Dreamliner. It is a one of a kind experience.”

Mukilteo Light Station

Twelve miles. That’s how far the light from the 106-year-old Mukilteo Light Station shines on a clear day and continues to be a beacon for travelers, by sea and by land. It’s one of 26 lighthouses in Washington, and in the elite group of six that are open to the public.

The lighthouse is now run by electricity, not lamp oil, but it’s kept in tiptop shape by the Mukilteo Historical Society. Inside the postcard-perfect building, see historical exhibits of Mukilteo in the 1920s. Then climb to the top of the lighthouse and gaze out at Puget Sound. Best of all, it’s really easy to get there – only a stone’s throw from the Mukilteo ferry dock.

Leave extra time for and check it out while you’re waiting for your boat to Whidbey Island. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. In September, the spot hosts the Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival, another worthy trip.

The grounds at Lighthouse Park are open year-round. The lighthouse, exhibits and gift shop are open weekends and holidays, noon – 5 p.m., April through September.

Waterfalls

If falling water is your thing, there are at least 22 waterfalls to choose from in Snohomish County. Most are familiar with Wallace Falls, a gorgeous 265-foot falls located in Wallace Falls State Park, just outside of Gold Bar. In the summer, you’ll see half your neighbors out on the seven-mile trail hoofing it to this popular spot. However, there are lots more to seek out if you want to see water cascading over rocks.

Our suggestion: Bridal Veil Falls, seven miles east of Gold Bar. A short hike through dense forest gets you to the base of the falls, and a little further still will get you to the viewing platforms. Get out your camera to capture the falls exploding out of the rocky face of Mt. Index, framed by dark evergreens on either side. Water cascades over a wide swath of rocks, turning into white ribbons of spray. Expect to get wet—when the water is really running, you’ll need a raincoat to get close to the falls without soaking your clothes.

(For the less footsy inclined, the falls are visible across the valley from Highway 2, a quarter mile east of the Index turnoff.)

After you’ve drunk your fill of the view, continue on to nearby Lake Serene to enjoy the water in its calmer state before heading home.

This trail was substantially damaged during this past winter’s storms, with bridge washouts and downed trees, but Washington Trail Association volunteers have been working on it to get it in top shape by summer.

Heirman Wildlife Preserve

The Heirman Wildlife Preserve is one of those gems of a park that makes you feel good about every cent you pay in taxes. It’s even more noteworthy given what it could have become. The park had humble origins as a gravel mining operation, then as a farm. When it became known that the land was going to be subdivided and sold, in rode the white knights of the Snohomish Sportsman Association, led by well-known fisherman Bob Heirman. They wanted to retain public access to this spectacular spot on the Snohomish River, known for the fishing. Now, it’s a birder’s and photographer’s paradise.

It also serves as that rare place where the public can access pristine nature without taking a strenuous backcountry hike. The 323-acre park is home to over 80 species of birds and if you’re lucky, you might even see trumpeter swans putting on a show for you.

Hike Lake 22

This trail should have a “Welcome to the Northwest” kiosk at the trailhead. It’s one of the first ones recommended to folks who move to the Puget Sound region. When we first moved to the area two decades ago, at least four different people said, “Oh, you have to hike Lake 22.” We did, and still are.

This roundtrip 5.4-mile hike is notable for the range of scenery. Plus, it’s a chance to peek at a truly pristine forest—the 800-acre site was set aside in 1947 as a Research Natural Area. Trailside, you’ll hike through impressive forests, then into a rocky slope, before plunging back into the shady of magnificent trees.

22 Creek runs along and over the trail in some places, with lovely waterfalls punctuating the hike. At the end of the trail, you emerge out of the trees and arrive at Lake 22, a lake so ridiculously picturesque it looks fake. The small lake is ringed by steep vertical rocky cliffs, which hold onto their snow until very late in the season. A wooden boardwalk rings the lake, and after avalanche season, you can walk the 1.2 mile loop.

Hot Air Ballooning

For a unique look at Snohomish County, just look down. From your hot air balloon basket, that is. Airial Balloon Company has been giving balloon tours since 1981. We suggest the sunrise flights that run from 60 – 90 minutes. You’ll get a panoramic view of rivers, lakes, farmlands, valleys, the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges, and the skylines of Seattle and Everett.

Caitlin Knox of Airial Balloon convinces us. “I think the whole experience is really unique. It’s a really adventurous way to experience the outdoors, without the risk of losing your life. We have a perfect safety record.”

Most people think you just go up and down in a balloon. In reality, you’ll travel about 3 – 4 miles, and a highlight is skimming the treetops where you can look down and see deer and other wildlife near streams running between the trees. You’ll land in a field and help pack up the balloon. Then it’s back to where you began, where you’ll be directed to a gazebo where a continental breakfast will be served.

Because ballooning is a historically French activity, you’ll enjoy a Champagne toast. You’ll also get a ballooning certificate written in 18^th century French.

Not a bad way to start your day.

Resources

Snohomish County Tourism: www.snohomish.org

Jetty Island: www.everettwa.org

Interurban Trail: www1.co.snohomish.wa.us/Departments/Parks

Kayaking: www.aquatrekcenter.com

Arlington Farmer’s Market: www.arlingtonfarmersmarket.blogspot.com

Other Farmer’s Markets in Snohomish: www.snohomish.org

Future of Flight: www.futureofflight.org

Hot Air Ballooning: www.airialballoon.com/

Hilary Meyerson is the editor of Outdoors NW magazine and enjoys traveling just about anywhere in the Pacific Northwest.

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