During the pandemic lockdown, I made dozens of trips to the Chuckanuts south of Fairhaven as part of my goal to recreate locally.
Indeed, I began to feel like I’d overlooked this little sub-range, the place where “the Cascades touch the sea.”
With bigger mountains so close, it can be easy to overlook the Chuckanuts. But the accessibility is unparalleled. There are trails everywhere. They are nearly always snow-free. There is cell service in most places, which can increase safety. And the trails don’t require a tremendous amount of time to access. Many of the best trails can be done in as little as half a day, or less.
The following are three of my favorites, each with a different flavor. But there’s no vanilla on this list. Every trail offers something unique.
Fiona Ridge Trail
2.6 miles roundtrip, 266-feet elevation gain
When most think about Fragrance Lake, they think about the extremely popular trail that makes its way up from the entrance to Larrabee State Park. It’s a nice trail, but often overcrowded.
A much better trail is the unsigned and beautiful Fiona Ridge. From a scenic perspective, this is likely the best short trail in the Chuckanuts. The Olympic Mountains and the Salish Sea peek at you through the trees constantly. But the trail does run along the top of some cliffs, so it’s important to be aware of your surroundings.
To get to this stellar trail, take Exit 250 off I-5 and drive west on Old Fairhaven Parkway. Turn left (south) on Chuckanut Drive and go 3.9 miles to Cleator Road (also marked Hiline Road — the boat launch sign is directly across from the turn). Drive 1.7 miles to a small unsigned pullout that only fits two cars. This is the north end of the Fiona Ridge trail.
Please note that Cleator Road sees some road closures over the winter, so you should be prepared to hike up the road to the trailhead. The trail itself is quite easy, but when you add the road, it does add elevation and an additional 3.4 miles roundtrip, making the entire endeavor 6 miles.
From the trailhead, hike up through a couple of short switchbacks to gain the main part of the trail. Continue on the stunning ridge for 1.1 miles to a junction at a notch with a trail that drops down steeply to the left, and another trial that goes straight.
Before doing anything else, look straight up and note the crazy treehouse!
If you drop down from the notch to the left, braided trails that trend right will eventually bring you to Fragrance Lake. If you go straight, a slightly brushier and steeper trail will bring you to the same destination.
The most important part of your return trip is to remember where you came out of the woods at the lake. Trees and brush slightly obscure the end of both variations.
Pine and Cedar Lake/Cedar Overlook Variations
About 4 miles roundtrip, 1,500-feet elevation gain
Though I don’t believe that Pine and Cedar Lake Trail is the steepest in Whatcom County, it is one of the steeper trails in the Chuckanuts. The trail — sometimes referred to as “the Bellingham Stairmaster” — starts very steep and then gradually becomes less so. And then, depending on the variation, becomes exceptionally steep. This is the trail that mountaineers and trail runners use to keep in shape!
From Exit 250 on I-5, drive west on Old Fairhaven Parkway and take the first left-hand turn onto 30th. Follow this for 0.9 miles to Old Samish Road. Go left and drive 1.3 miles to the large signed parking lot. Beware of car prowlers here.
Hike steeply up for 0.9 miles to a junction. If you need a rest, take the left-hand variation for a lower-angled option (0.35 miles). For a shorter, and steeper climb, stay right (0.2 miles). After the two trails come back together, continue for another half-mile (lower angle!) to the Raptor Ridge junction. Follow the trail to the left.
There are two immediate options to get to the Cedar Lake Overlook from here. The first is a lower-angled option. Hike for less than a minute to the horse fence on the left and follow that trail 0.3 miles to the Overlook.
Lizard Lake and North Butte
5 miles roundtrip, 1,243-feet elevation gain
Oyster Dome is cool and all, but … North Butte is better, in this author’s opinion. This lookout has a more all-encompassing view than Oyster Dome, fewer people, and you pass a picturesque lake on the way.
From I-5, take exit 240 and drive north (back toward Bellingham) on Lake Samish Road for 0.5 miles. Turn left onto Barrel Spring Road and drive 0.6 miles to the Blanchard Forest Block. Turn right onto a dirt road and drive 1.7 miles to a junction. Continue straight for a few hundred feet to the Blanchard Forest Upper Trailhead.
From the trailhead, hike north on the DNR road. At approximately 0.35 miles, you’ll pass an old quarry and the bottom of a mountain bike trail. At 1 mile, you’ll arrive at the Alternate Incline Trail. Turn left onto that trail and climb 1 mile up to a junction. Follow the trail to Lizard Lake and a small campground. Just past the campground, turn left (south) and hike up a steepish trail to another junction with the North Butte Spur Trail. Take that trail for 0.2 miles up to several scenic points, the best of which is on the southernmost end and includes a nice bench. Beware of the cliffs there.
To return to your car, you may retrace your steps. However, there are several other options depending on how far you’d like to hike, including a trip to the always overcrowded Oyster Dome.
Trail tips
- An annual Discover Pass or a day pass is required at each of these trailheads. These may be purchased at discoverpass.wa.gov.
- Mapping applications like Gaia, Caltopo, OnX and AllTrails may be useful on these trails.
- Hard-copy maps, such as “Square One Maps: Chuckanut Recreation Area,” are available at REI and American Alpine Institute.
Jason Martin's outdoors column appears monthly. Email: jason@alpineinstitute.com. Threads: @OutdoorPolitics.
