There’s a little gravel pull-off along the side of Highway 530 between Arlington and Darrington, Wa. You wouldn’t think from just driving by that there is plenty to explore here as well as richness in history of a town long forgotten. From the parking area you have the choice to let your eyes feast upriver…
Tag: Things to do with Kids
Monte Cristo Townsite
From 1899 to 1907 Monte Cristo was a mining town. Harvesting mainly gold and Silver. Later on it became a resort town and now a well preserved ghost town. Something we don’t see enough of in the dampness of the great PNW. The hike out to the townsite is an adventure in its own. You…
White Chuck Boat Launch
Launch your boats, cast your lines, skip some rocks or go for a nature walk at the White Chuck boat launch. I spent the day here combing the beach and hiking the fishing trail that hugs the riverside. This is a scenic spot where the White Chuck River and the Sauk River join forces. The…
Buck Creek Campground
Buck Creek Campground is way out on the Suiattle River Road outside of Darrington, WA. It’s one of the more rustic campgrounds I’ve seen. If you like the conveniences of a reserved camping spot and access to at least a vault toilet, but want to be in the thick of nature, then you are in…
Lake Shannon
Lake Shannon outside of Concrete, Wa is a recreational paradise. This massive reservoir of the Baker River stretches 7.5 miles long and over a half mile wide when it is full. All this water is held back by an arch dam built in the 1920s for Puget Sound Energy’s Baker River Hydroelectric Project. There’s a…
Forest Trail Park
Located in the fancy pants neighborhood of Gleneagle Estates in Arlington, Wa is Forest Trail Park. I had high expectations for this park due to its distinguished location, but found myself a little underwhelmed. There is off-street parking, a basketball hoop, small playground and a “forest trail” that ends abruptly at the saddle of a…
White Chuck Bench Trail
I showed up to the trailhead to the White Chuck Bench Trail outside of Darrington, Wa and found these signs. “Trail work ahead closed to public use” and “Workers riding motorcycles may be on trail.” Normally the thought of missing out on a trail would bum me out, but I am totally excited about this….
Dot City Park
I have lived in this town for several years now and hadn’t ever stopped at Dot City Park. Even though I drive by it often I’m sure glad I did, as I really could see the work that has gone into this little pocket park in Darrington, Wa. Dorothy “Dot” Larson had donated the land…
Evan and Boardman Lake
I have done this hike so many times I could probably do it blindfolded. That being said, and due to its popularity, there is usually other hikers there. Today, however, these beauties were all mine. A very rare and special treat! Getting to this trailhead is a journey in itself. Once you leave the Mountain…
Olympic Game Farm
There is just no other experience like visiting the Olympic Game Farm in Sequim, Wa. It’s basically a gigantic petting zoo combined with a safari. You can hand feed Tibetan Yaks, llamas, Roosevelt elk, Sika deer, American bison, and Zebras from your car window. Other animals you will see are bears, a lion, tiger, cougar…
Salsbury Point County Park
Sitting at the South hand of the Hood Canal bridge is Salsbury Point County Park. A nice spot to stretch the legs after some long, cramped road tripping! That’s precisely what my friend Lindsay and I did and we certainly got more than we expected. This is a great access point to a nice, long…
O.K. Mill Swimming Hole
Over the river and through the woods to our grandmother’s house we used to go. Literally! She lived way out in Machias, Wa and we would pass over the O.K. Mill bridge to get there every time. A landmark that helps me find my way back to my childhood. I spent the first day of…
Camping on the White Chuck River
For Father’s Day weekend I wanted to take my husband somewhere relaxing and we ended up on the banks of the White Chuck River outside of Darrington, Wa. There are several free campsites in the area with great river access. Ours was just perfect! It was secluded with sandy patches to pitch our tent on…
Forgotten Creek Natural Area
Everett, Wa has become quite developed over the years and where there was once thriving forests and babbling brooks there now stands a sort of concrete jungle. However, if you look hard enough one can find little gems such as the Forgotten Creek Natural Area. A place that gives respite from the hustle and bustle…
Depot Park
Depot Park in Everett, Wa is a labor of love. Back in 1997 a group of volunteers called Friends of the Olde Everett Station and the BNSF Railroad joined forces in transforming this small strip of abandoned land into a beautiful gathering place for the community. Sitting just South of the former Train station. Once…
Maggie’s Park
This is quite possibly the tiniest park I have ever laid eyes on! Maggie’s Park in Everett, Wa is just .15 acres and consists of a single picnic bench and a lone tree. It does, however, have decent views of Puget Sound with the BNSF railway in the foreground. //ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=pnwadventur0b-20&marketplace=amazon®ion=US&placement=B01DFDBXZ4&asins=B01DFDBXZ4&linkId=8f29555c3167bcc44d25bcb3ffb919d5&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffffAfter some research I discovered that…
Tour the Lake Part 3 (North Cove Park)
This tour around Lake Stevens began in a clockwise motion with long ago happenings at Lundeen Park and unusual history from North Lakeshore Swimming Beach. Today, we are visiting North Cove Park on the banks of Lake Stevens in Lake Stevens, Wa. This spot right here is what put this town on the map. Like…
Red Mountain Lookout
The hike to Red Mountain Lookout in the Glacier Peak Wilderness area of Washington is one that will bring you back in time. It’s one of the most remote areas of the state. The trail is swarmed with ancient old growth along with several culturally modified trees from early Native American inhabitants. Being there was…
Lowell Park & Neighborhood History
Lowell Park was established in the 1960’s when the neighborhood known as the town of Lowell was annexed by Everett, Wa. This once booming little town dates back to 1863. Nearly 30 years senior to the city of Everett. There were three major companies that kept this community thriving. They were Everett Pulp and Paper…
Foothills Park
I enjoy collecting adventures the same way some collect Star Wars figurines or old coins. Currently, I am after every Marysville, Wa park I can find. Today, I bagged Foothills Park in South Marysville. Just as predicted, it was beautiful and so well cared for. There isn’t really a parking lot for this park, and…
Fort Ebey State Park
Fort Ebey State Park is an all day experience with 25 miles of walking and biking trails. Our first stop upon entering the park was the gun battery, a coastal defense fort built into a bluff overlooking Admiralty Point on Whidbey Island during World War II. It never saw any real action, but it certainly…
Lookout Tree Trail
I am inclined to tell you that this is an easy hike down to Lookout Tree, but it is a 200ft drop taking you through 1/4 mile of not very well trodden wilderness. So, yes it is short, but you will be feeling the calf burn on the way back up. The hike used to…
Hoover Fishing Hole
What a beautiful drive as you head down to the old Hoover Fishing Hole in Snohomish, Wa. Named after long time residents Oscar and Fay Hoover. You will pass by acres of fertile farmland before veering Off into the parking area that once served as a boat launch into the broad and powerful Snohomish River….
Squire Creek Park & Campground
I had an impromptu day off today and invited a new friend out to see The Old Growth Reserve Trail. On my way home I decided to stop and explore the Squire Creek Park and It’s campground since I had only ever really driven through it. I am really glad to have stopped. Since it…
Beaver Lake Trail
It sure was a beautiful, hot Spring day as my husband and I made our way to Beaver Lake just outside of Darrington, Wa. A 4.2 mile roundtrip trek with 100 feet in elevation gain. We took our time to really explore as this is one we’ve done a few times already. In 1926 a…
Jennings Memorial Park
Welcome to one of the most impressive gardens in Snohomish County. A vibrant and beating heart amidst the oasis that we know as Jennings Park In Marysville, Wa. There is something for everyone here, but let us first discuss the plant life! The Master Gardner Demonstration garden (that’s a mouthful!) is volunteer ran and absolutely…
Portage Creek Wildlife Reserve
No modern day frills here. Just wild! Portage Creek Wildlife Reserve in Arlington, Wa is a 157 acre nature conserve hiding in an area you just wouldn’t suspect. There is very little signage and minimal evidence of any maintenance. The unkept look actually had a pleasantly inviting appeal. amzn_assoc_placement = “adunit0”; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = “pnwadventur0b-20”; amzn_assoc_ad_mode…
Doleshel Park
I must admit it- sometimes I am afraid that many parks will be the same and my adventures will just end up being the same stories over and over again. This really has not been true. Each destination has been unique and exciting to discover. Doleshel Park in Marysville, Wa is a great example of…
Mother Nature’s Window
((((UPDATE: THIS PARK IS CURRENTLY CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC. Future plans for reopening are in the works. Stay tuned! )))) Mother Nature’s Window is perfectly named. The trail to get there is unmarked and very faint, much like passing through a little window and entering into an ancient world. Sunlight dappled through the old growth…
River Meadows County Park
It was such a beautiful Spring day where the clouds parted and the sun told the flowers that they could come out and play. The drive into River Meadow County Park is just gorgeous this time of year. You wind down a lush hillside and through spacious grassland before reaching the parking lot. The 150…
Frontier Heights Park
In the late 1960s the neighborhood of Frontier Heights was established and so was this park. It must have been quite a park for it’s time, but by the 1990s things began to go downhill. As kids, my siblings and I referred to it as “Dog Poop Acres” because so many dog owners of the…
The Lake Stevens Community Park
Out in the backwoods of Lake Stevens sits a very important park to the Lake Stevens Junior Athletics Association (LSJAA). Back in 1996 they helped pave the way toward purchasing the land which used to be an old homestead. Dreams of a ball field were alive and underway. The fields are now called the Gary…
The Outback Kangaroo Farm
The Outback Kangaroo Farm offers such a unique experience in a beautiful, off the beaten path setting. I took my nieces there last summer and it has proved to be a lasting memory. Well worth the drive and entrance fee. amzn_assoc_placement = “adunit0”; amzn_assoc_search_bar = “true”; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = “pnwadventur0b-20”; amzn_assoc_search_bar_position = “bottom”; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = “search”;…
PNW Adventure Sisters 