Oyster Dome
Trail Key: M~2~ST~R~V~RO~RH~CC
Length: 6.5 Miles
Elevation: 1900 Feet
Pit Toilet: Half way
Dogs: Yes-bring papers
Don't forget your passport & out of country medical insurance. Your journey begins off of Chuckanut Drive past mile marker 10 (love these as they are helpful to find your way.) The trail is a little tricky to find. You will see some cars parked on the side of the road and the Pacific Northwest Trail is right across the street. There are no bathrooms or brochures but there is a map a few feet after the trail start. I took a picture to help me navigate my way around Blanchard Mountain. I will take you on the loop tour.
The first part of the hike are steep, long switchbacks through a calming forest. After 2 Km's of hiking you will come to a bench and an open area overlooking San Juan Islands and the Olympic Mountains. From here you continue up along Samish Bay as the trail goes through some steep sections but there are roots & trees to get yourself up and some flat spots or what some people may call a "vacation" but don't get too comfortable as it's short lived but will give you a chance to stretch your legs out and catch your breath. You will hop across a few streams and see some very big rocks. The last little bit you will come to what is written as a tricky creek crossing...it wasn't tricky for us but if it were spring or summer 'run off' we thought there would be way more water and that could cause it to be "tricky." Today it was just a careful step to get across to not get your feet too wet. At this point you are able to navigate your way to the bat caves which we somehow missed. The locals say it is fun to take your flashlight and explore the caves however, it is written to stay away and that it is best left for the bat colonies which live inside them.
It's not far now just another steep section and you will come out of the dark forest onto a rocky outcrop and a beautiful view of the San Juan Islands, Fildalgo Island, Whidbey Island, Vancouver Island, the snow-capped Olympic Mountains and the Skagit River flats. Keep your pets leashed and your children close to you. There is an lower & upper rocky area to sit on and eat your lunch, grab some beautiful pics and rest before your trek down.
Go down the section you came up and follow the sign to Lily Lake or Max's Shortcut; however it's far from a shortcut as it adds about 5 km to your trek but it's not as steep and gives you some different scenery on the way down. As you come down you will come to the Larry Reed Trail, follow this to the parking lot. There are pit toilets here. Go past the washrooms, stay left as there's a gravel path that heads back into the forest (don't take the gravel road). The path takes you back down to Chuckanut Drive and where you parked earlier. Follow this path down where you will see a junction, go left for your final decent down the switchbacks. At this point you have about 2 km left. It's a great hike...The trails are similar Elk & Mt. Thom with lookouts the similar as Bowen or Quarry Rock. Make sure you go on a clear day to reap in the rewards. Happy & safe trails.
Trail Key: M~2~ST~R~V~RO~RH~CC
Length: 6.5 Miles
Elevation: 1900 Feet
Pit Toilet: Half way
Dogs: Yes-bring papers
Don't forget your passport & out of country medical insurance. Your journey begins off of Chuckanut Drive past mile marker 10 (love these as they are helpful to find your way.) The trail is a little tricky to find. You will see some cars parked on the side of the road and the Pacific Northwest Trail is right across the street. There are no bathrooms or brochures but there is a map a few feet after the trail start. I took a picture to help me navigate my way around Blanchard Mountain. I will take you on the loop tour.
The first part of the hike are steep, long switchbacks through a calming forest. After 2 Km's of hiking you will come to a bench and an open area overlooking San Juan Islands and the Olympic Mountains. From here you continue up along Samish Bay as the trail goes through some steep sections but there are roots & trees to get yourself up and some flat spots or what some people may call a "vacation" but don't get too comfortable as it's short lived but will give you a chance to stretch your legs out and catch your breath. You will hop across a few streams and see some very big rocks. The last little bit you will come to what is written as a tricky creek crossing...it wasn't tricky for us but if it were spring or summer 'run off' we thought there would be way more water and that could cause it to be "tricky." Today it was just a careful step to get across to not get your feet too wet. At this point you are able to navigate your way to the bat caves which we somehow missed. The locals say it is fun to take your flashlight and explore the caves however, it is written to stay away and that it is best left for the bat colonies which live inside them.
It's not far now just another steep section and you will come out of the dark forest onto a rocky outcrop and a beautiful view of the San Juan Islands, Fildalgo Island, Whidbey Island, Vancouver Island, the snow-capped Olympic Mountains and the Skagit River flats. Keep your pets leashed and your children close to you. There is an lower & upper rocky area to sit on and eat your lunch, grab some beautiful pics and rest before your trek down.
Go down the section you came up and follow the sign to Lily Lake or Max's Shortcut; however it's far from a shortcut as it adds about 5 km to your trek but it's not as steep and gives you some different scenery on the way down. As you come down you will come to the Larry Reed Trail, follow this to the parking lot. There are pit toilets here. Go past the washrooms, stay left as there's a gravel path that heads back into the forest (don't take the gravel road). The path takes you back down to Chuckanut Drive and where you parked earlier. Follow this path down where you will see a junction, go left for your final decent down the switchbacks. At this point you have about 2 km left. It's a great hike...The trails are similar Elk & Mt. Thom with lookouts the similar as Bowen or Quarry Rock. Make sure you go on a clear day to reap in the rewards. Happy & safe trails.
