Hiking · Local Adventures · National Park

Fisherman Paths: Deadwood Lakes

Deadwood Lakes was a hike I had heard of from the late Karen Sykes, long ago. She had pushed me to try the hike through our chats, and she gave me the pro tip of finding the "trail" from across the highway, half a mile up the Pacific Crest Trail. It was easy to pick… Continue reading Fisherman Paths: Deadwood Lakes

Hiking · National Park

Olympic Hikes: Pumpkin Seed Lake

When we rebuilt Trailcooking from ground up this past year, I lost every trip report I had written from 2004 to current when we couldn't transfer the older version of the blog. There are some hikes I truly loved that I never wrote about, including Pumpkin Seed Lake in the Olympic National Park, in Washington… Continue reading Olympic Hikes: Pumpkin Seed Lake

Hiking · Local Adventures · National Park

Local Adventures: Hurricane Ridge Wandering

When my oldest son Ford was little we spent many days hiking in the Olympic Mountains. Back then it was easy to do it, in the early 2000's. No needing reservations on the ferry across the Salish Sea from the island to Port Townsend. The area was a lot quieter with a lot less people,… Continue reading Local Adventures: Hurricane Ridge Wandering

Hiking · Local Adventures · National Park

The Blockhouses of Ebey’s Reserve

Updated in 2022: An oddity sits in Ebey’s Landing National Historical Preserve in central Whidbey Island, Washington. There was once a dozen, and 4 blockhouses from the mid 1800’s still standing. And you can visit them all. Ebey’s Preserve is a place rich in history. Two stand close to each other, near the Sunnyside Cemetery,… Continue reading The Blockhouses of Ebey’s Reserve

Hiking · National Park

Trail Of The Shadows In The Snow

Trail of the Shadows is in summer a short loop hike, a great leg stretcher after the long drive to Mount Rainier National Park. In winter it takes on a new look, snowy everywhere but where the hot springs bubble up from the ground. The trail starts across the street from Longmire, having come in… Continue reading Trail Of The Shadows In The Snow